DHAKA, Oct 24, 2023 (BSS) - Bangladesh continued its dismal show in the ICC Cricket World Cup by tasting a crushing 149-run defeat to South Africa for their fourth straight loss at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai today.

Quinton de Kock hammered a brutal 174 off 140 and Henrich Klaasen smashed a marauding 49 ball-90, helping South Africa rack up a mammoth 382-5. Bangladesh were bowled out 233 in 46.4 overs after suffering yet another top order batting order collapse.

Bangladesh opened the World Cup with a six-wicket victory against Afghanistan but thereafter lost their game to England, New Zealand and hosts India, vastly due to their listless batting effort.

After South Africa compiling a huge total, a huge defeat looked imminent and it was further hastened when they were slumped to 81-6.

Mahmudullah Riyad then put up fight to help Bangladesh go past 200 and reduced the margin of the defeat.

He helped himself with fourth ODI century, three of which came in the World Cup stage. Before being ninth batter out, he scored run-a-ball-111 with 11 fours and four sixes. Opener Liton Das's 22 was the next-best scorer for the side.
 
The defeat almost ruined Bangladesh's hopes to seal the semifinal spot, which was their primary target in this World Cup.

Opener Quinton de Kock's knock, laced with 15 boundaries and seven sixes was the cornerstone of South African innings. While Klaasen provided the late impetus, stand in captain Aiden Markram's serene 60 was another notable contribution.

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

Bangladesh 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 the explosion finally 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.

Quinton 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, slicing a full delivery off Hasan Mahmud to deep backward point.

But Klaasen gave the final impetus as 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.