Kimberley, South Africa: South Africa romped to a 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh after chasing down a target of 279 with ease in the first One Day International at Kimberley on Sunday.
Bangladesh posted 278 for 7 before Quinton de Kock smashed an unbeaten 168 and Hashim Amla made 110 as South Africa cruised home with more than seven overs to spare. Their 282-run stand was a South African record for the first wicket and only four runs short of the world record for an opening stand, set by Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya in 2006.
Mushfiqur Rahim earlier became the first Bangladesh batsman to score a century against South Africa to spur his team to a respectable total. Mushfiqur hit 110 not out as Bangladesh made 278 for seven, their highest total against South Africa, after winning the toss and batting on an easy-paced pitch.
The previous highest score by a Bangladesh batsman in any form of international cricket against South Africa was 90 by Soumya Sarkar in a One Day International in Chittagong in 2015, while Bangladesh’s previous highest total against the hosts was 251 for eight when they won a World Cup match in Guyana in 2007.
Mushfiqur’s fifth one-day century, which was greeted with rapturous applause by hundreds of Bangladeshi supporters, was a timely boost for a touring team battered to heavy defeats in two Test matches and who were hit by the absence through injury of two key players, opening batsman Tamim Iqbal and left-arm opening bowler Mustafizur Rahman.
Mushfiqur made his runs off 116 balls with 11 fours and two sixes. He shared successive partnerships of 59 with Shakib Al Hassan (29), 69 with Mahmudullah (26) and 42 with Sabbir Rahman (19) for the third, fourth and fifth wickets.
Kagiso Rabada spearheaded South Africa’s bowling attack, taking three for 43. Dwaine Pretorius took two for 48 but debutant fast bowler Dane Paterson conceded 69 runs in nine overs.
Mushfiqur’s innings came with a price. He appeared to suffer a hamstring injury and he watched the De Kock-Amla partnership from the players’ balcony, adding to injuries, which kept two other key players, Tamim Iqbal (thigh) and Mustafizur Rahman (ankle) out of the match.
“We have to keep fighting,” said Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza about the injuries. “These things happen in cricket. You can’t blame anything.”
Mashrafe said that although Bangladesh had posted a good total, “we knew we had to take wickets. If you can stop the runs at both ends the pressure will bring wickets. But we couldn’t apply pressure.”
South African captain Faf du Plessis praised what he described as another “dominating” performance. “As a team you want to be ruthless. Today was a very, very good example of that. When you’re bossing the game and you are 150 for no wicket it’s easy to throw wickets away, but the guys are hungry to put in massive performances.”
