SA vs BAN, World Cup 2023: South Africa beat Bangladesh by 149 runs in match number 23 of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday (October 24). The Proteas won the toss and elected to bat first on a flat Mumbai wicket. Quinton de Kock was the star with the bat for South Africa as he slammed his third hundred of this World Cup, making a dominant 174 off 140 deliveries taking them to a strong total of 382/5. In response, Bangladesh never really got going and were bowled out for 233 despite Mahmudullah’s 111 off 111 balls.
Other than De Kock’s 174, Heinrich Klaasen too continued his superb form in the tournament and scored 90 off just 49 balls with some breathtaking strokes during the innings. Aiden Markram, South Africa’s stand-in skipper, also scored a half-century making 60 off 69 balls. For Bangladesh, Hasan Mahmud was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2 for 67. Shakib Al Hasan, Shoriful Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz picked up a wicket each.
After their dominating performance with the bat, they were clinical with the ball in hand too with Gerald Coetzee emerging as the highest wicket-taker for the team, finishing with 3 for 62. Marco Jansen, Lizaad Williams and Kagiso Rabada scalped two wickets apiece while Keshav Maharaj was also impressive picking 1 for 32 off his 10 overs.
It could have been an even more handsome victory for the Proteas who move to the second position on the table with 8 points from 5 matches and a net run rate of +2.370 had it not been for the 68-run stand between Mahmudullah and Mustafizur Rahaman, a partnership which ensured that Mahmudullah get to his century and the Bangla Tigers reduce the deficit of their margin.
After the match, De Kock was adjudged the Player of the Match who described the experience as being more tiring than satisfactory. All three of his World Cup tons have come in this edition and in a format from which he has already announced retirement at the end of this campaign.