Rilee Rossouw posted the first century of the tournament, plundering 109 from 56 deliveries, to help South Africa to an emphatic 104-run win over Bangladesh on Thursday at the Twenty20 World Cup.
After a couple of early delays for rain, South Africa batted first and posted 205-5. Rossouw and Quinton de Kock combined for 163 runs off 81 balls for the second wicket in a South African record T20 World Cup partnership.
The Proteas then skittled Bangladesh for 101, with Anrich Nortje picking up four wickets for 10 runs and Tabraiz Shamsi returning 3-20.
“Clinical in terms of performance,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said. “The batting lineup has shaped up quite nicely.”
South Africa moved to the top of Group 2 at least temporarily with three points from two games — its first super 12 game against Zimbabwe in Hobart was washed out.
Bavuma said he was initially “a bit nervous” when the rain started again and played was halted after 5.3 overs, with South Africa on 65-1, but the match resumed after a 30-minute delay and no overs were lost.
There were two more Group 2 games scheduled for Thursday, with India winning the toss and opting to bat against Netherlands as it aimed to back up its last-ball victory over archrival Pakistan in the second game of the doubleheader in Sydney, and Pakistan playing Zimbabwe in Perth.
While Rossouw and de Kock dominated the bowling, there were five penalty runs awarded to South Africa.
Rossouw struck seven fours and eight sixes during his innings, raising his hundred off only 52 balls.
De Kock scored 50 off 33 balls and was eventually out for 63 off 38 balls, including seven fours and three sixes.
South Africa’s hectic pace of scoring meant it was placed at 170-2 in 14.3 overs at de Kock’s dismissal.
The Proteas then lost four wickets for 34 runs and didn’t pass 200 until the final over.
Bangladesh got off to a quickfire start via Soumya Sarkar (15) and Najmul Shanto (9), who added 26 off 13 balls, but things went downhill thereafter.
Nortje removed both openers in his first over, the third of the innings, and Bangladesh was reduced to 47-4 at the end of the powerplay.
He also trapped Bangladesh Shakib Al Hasan (1) lbw to give South Africa control of the match.
Only four Bangladesh batsmen reached double figures, with Liton Das top-scoring with 34 off 31 balls.
Shakib, who guided Bangladesh to its first-ever win in a second-round game at the T20 World Cup earlier in the week, said Rossouw and de Kock took the game away from his bowlers.
Source - The Associated Press
-Agencies
