Brief scores: South Africa 382/5 in 50 overs (Quinton de Kock 174, Heinrich Klaasen 90, Aiden Markram 60; Hasan Mahmud 2-67) vs Bangladesh
Cricbuzzteam, SA vs BAN, The 2023 ODI World Cup has been a thrilling spectacle for cricket enthusiasts around the globe. One player who has truly shone in this tournament is Quinton de Kock, the South African wicketkeeper-batsman. In their recent fixture against Bangladesh in Mumbai on October 24, 2023, de Kock showcased his exceptional talent by slamming his third century of the tournament. This performance was nothing short of extraordinary, and South Africa piled on another mammoth score, making it a match to remember.
The day didn’t begin smoothly for South Africa, with the early loss of Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen in the first PowerPlay. Bangladesh, eager to make an impact, came out with determination both with the ball and in the field. This made it challenging for the South African batters in the initial hour of the match.
Amid the early setbacks, de Kock and the team’s skipper, Aiden Markram, assessed the situation adeptly. They opted for a steady approach, understanding that the Wankhede Stadium is a ground where they could catch up later on. The new ball moved slightly, and Shoriful Islam took full advantage of it to dismiss Hendricks. Van der Dussen, on the other hand, played the wrong line against Mehidy Hasan and was trapped LBW.
Quinton de Kock was in prime form right from the start, and Markram soon found his rhythm as well after a sluggish beginning to his innings. As their partnership flourished, the pressure started to mount on Bangladesh’s bowlers, who seemed clueless about how to contain the run flow. Eventually, skipper Shakib Al Hasan managed to break the partnership when Markram mistimed a loft, resulting in a straightforward catch for the fielder at long-off. However, by then, the foundation had been laid for Heinrich Klaasen, the middle-order dynamo, to take the center stage.
Fresh from his stunning performance against England just a few days ago, Klaasen came to the crease and made an immediate impact. He smashed the second ball he faced off a spin bowler for a six, setting the tone for his innings. This explosive display of power hitting not only added to South Africa’s total but also allowed de Kock to steadily approach his third century of the tournament.
SA vs BAN: De Kock’s Century
Once de Kock reached his century, he shifted into a higher gear, despite showing signs of fatigue due to the heat and humidity. His weariness didn’t affect his gameplay, and Bangladesh’s bowlers found themselves under relentless pressure from both ends. De Kock and Klaasen had different styles of batting, making it even more challenging for Shakib to contain the run flow. The conditions at Wankhede Stadium, with its small boundaries, further favored boundary-hitting, leaving Bangladesh’s bowlers with little room for error. To their credit, they put up an impressive fielding display, but their bowling lacked consistency, especially in the latter overs.
Final Flourish
By the time Quinton de Kock was dismissed, the stage was set for David Miller to put the finishing touches to the innings. Miller did just that, playing a quickfire innings, scoring 34 runs off just 14 balls. Klaasen continued his aggressive approach at the other end and was not far from reaching his second century of the match. However, a well-disguised slower bouncer led to a mistimed upper cut to deep backward point. While Klaasen missed out on the milestone, his innings was still devastating and showcased why he is considered one of the most destructive middle-order batters in the world at the moment.
Conclusion
SA vs BAN, South Africa’s innings was nothing short of spectacular, and the batters demonstrated their prowess in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Quinton de Kock’s remarkable century, well-supported by his teammates, set a daunting target for Bangladesh.