Bangladesh face uphill task to keep WC semifinal hopes alive

Bangladesh were left with a mountainous task to hit back to a winning mode after South Africa racked up a mammoth 382-5 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The Tigers opened the World Cup with a victory against Afghanistan but tasted three defeats on the trot. Another defeat would surely ruin their hopes to seal the semifinal spot, which was their primary target in this World Cup.

However, a prospect to win the match looked completely bleak as Bangladesh's highest successful chase is 322, which they did against West Indies in 2019 World Cup.

Even Bangladesh never scored 350 plus runs in an ODI match in their history.

Opener Quinton de Kock led the run-fest in Mumbai batting paradise, smashing 140 ball-174, a knock laced with 15 boundaries and seven sixes. He was ably supported by Henrich Klaasen's marauding 90 off 49 and stand-in captain Aiden Markram's serene 60.

Three days ago, South Africa posted 399-7 at this venue to beat England by record 229-run margin.

Bangladesh however raised a hope to restrict South Africa to a reasonable total by bowling tight line and length initially.

South Africa won the all important toss but in the face of disciplined Bangladesh attack were left to 36-2 in eighth overs with Reeza Hendricks (12) and Rassie van der Dussen (1) being out cheaply.

Pacer Shoriful swung one nicely to get the better of Hendricks who in the last match gave the team a flying start against England.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed the wicket of Dussen who got a plumb, playing a turning delivery across the line.

As Bangladesh looked over the moon, de Kock and Markram calmly accumulated runs to pave the platform of death over carnage.

They shared 131-run for the third wicket before Shakib Al Hasan had Markram caught by Liton Das at long-off after the batter struck seven boundaries in his knock.

Klassen joined de Kock and with the platform being set, the duo looked all set to go on berserk. But to Bangladesh's credit and Shakib's intelligent bowling change curbed their aggression.

But an explosion looked imminent. And finally it came after 40th over as South Africa piled up 144 runs in the final 10 overs, which meant they went for mind-blowing 14.4 runs per over.

And de Kock was the initiator. After completing third century in the ongoing World Cup in just his fifth match off 101 balls, he later took just 39 balls to score the last 74 runs.

His high-octane batting was instrumental in waking up natural hitter Klaasen as he joined the party to leave the bowlers at hell.

As he looked set to convert his 20th ODI century to his double ton, de Kock was victimized by soft dismissal, after slicing a full delivery of Hasan Mahmud to deep backward point.

But Klaasen gave the final impetus as the South African kept running hard.

Klaasen hit two fours and eight towering sixes in his knock before being out in the last over by Hasan Mahmud. 

David Miller who ended with 15 ball-34 not out was the another aggressor to deepen Bangladesh's crisis.

Hasan Mahmud took two wickets but gave away 67 runs in his six overs. In fact all of the Bangladesh bowlers leaked runs.

Source: BSS