Bangladesh posted their highest one-day international score as ferocious hitting from Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan took them to 330 for six against South Africa in Sunday’s World Cup match at the Oval.
Mushfiqur made 78 from 80 balls and Shakib´s 75 came from 84 balls as the pair combined in a 142-run partnership.
That was Bangladesh´s highest World Cup stand and set the stage to beat their previous highest ODI total of 329 for six against Pakistan in 2015.
“We knew we needed to be patient enough to stay in and if we did that we knew we would get bad balls to hit,” said Shakib during the innings break of his impressive 142-run stand with Mushfiqur.
“With the bowling attack we have got everyone in the dressing room is believing we can defend this total.”
South Africa now needed to set a new record by a winning team batting second in a World Cup match — currently held by Ireland with 329 for seven against England in Bangalore in 2011 — if they were to tame the Tigers.
– Lethargic bowling –
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and fielded, but his decision backfired badly as Bangladesh put his lethargic bowling attack to the sword.
Thrashed by 104 runs in their first match against England on Thursday, South Africa, deprived of key batsman Hashim Amla due to a head injury suffered in that loss, will have to score 331 to avoid a second successive defeat.
Tamim Iqbal was fit to open the batting after a wrist injury, but it was Soumya Sarkar who hit the first boundary, his flick off Lungi Ngidi bringing a huge roar from Bangladesh fans who made up the majority of the crowd at the Oval, the south London headquarters of Surrey.
Those green-shirt clad Bangladesh supporters were back on the feet as Tamim and Soumya, who hit five fours in six balls at one point, brought up their fifty partnership in just seven overs.
After conceding 27 in two overs, the barrage took its toll on Ngidi, who fielded a Tamim shot and petulantly threw at the stumps, forcing the Bangladesh opener to fend it away in self-preservation.
Moments later, Ngidi trudged from the pitch, reportedly suffering from a tight hamstring.
In his first over, South Africa´s Andile Phehlukwayo broke the partnership with 60 on the board when he induced an edge from Tamim that was held by wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock.
Soumya had made a dazzling 42 in 30 balls when his aggression got the better of him with a miscued hook off Chris Morris that was well caught by the diving de Kock.
With part-time bowlers Aiden Markram and JP Duminy filling in for the absent Ngidi and Dale Steyn sidelined again by a shoulder injury, South Africa´s bowling attack was hardly threatening as Shakib reached his fifty with ease.
Du Plessis was visibly frustrated, gesticulating angrily as Shakib and Mushfiqur took their partnership past a hundred runs.
Imran Tahir delivered a desperately needed breakthrough on his 100th ODI appearance, the 40-year-old spinner breaking the 142-run stand when he bowled the sweeping Shakib.
Mushfiqur perished after a risky slog off Phehlukwayo to leave Bangladesh on 250 or five in the 43rd over.
But after going six overs without a boundary, Bangladesh finished their innings with a flourish thanks to powerful stroke-play from Mahmudullah (46 not out) and Mosaddek Hossain (26).
Bangladesh’s squad for CWC 2019: Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Shakib Al Hasan (vice-captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Sabbir Rahman, Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi and Mosaddek Hossain
South Africa’s squad for CWC 2019: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, JP Duminy, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir
