Cricket World Cup: Bangladesh make biggest total beating South Africa

Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan celebrates taking the wicket of South Africa's Aiden Markram during the Cricket World Cup. Photo / AP

Bangladesh's pre-Cricket World Cup intention was to reach the semifinals for the first time.

That looks possible after they smothered a lacklustre South Africa and brought the four-day-old tournament alive in an easy 21-run victory at The Oval yesterday.

Bangladesh posted their highest one-day international total of 330-6 after being made to bat first, then restricted South Africa to 309-8 in front of an ecstatic crowd.

Losing by 21 runs flattered South Africa, who were as crushed as they were in losing the opener to England by 104 runs.

"We have done some upsets at World Cups but we want to prove something at this tournament," man-of-the-match Shakib Al Hasan said. "This is the way we wanted to start. We had the belief and now we need to keep up this momentum. The job has just started."

South Africa were strangled by spin while chasing for the second time in two World Cup matches. And their injury woes deepened when paceman Lungi Ngidi, who opened the bowling, limped away with a left hamstring problem after delivering only four overs. In his absence, part-time off-spinners Aiden Markram and JP Duminy bowled and conceded 48 runs in six costly overs.

Ngidi is expected to be out for at least a week, meaning he could miss their next two games against India and the West Indies.

Hashim Amla didn't play as a precaution after being hit on the helmet against England but is expected to face India tomorrow night, when Dale Steyn should also make his first appearance of the tournament but in another depleted attack.

Bangladesh have no such concerns after starting in style on the back of their biggest World Cup partnership of 142 by Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib, one of the world's best all-rounders for more than a decade.

They casually took apart the South Africans until they were gone by the 43rd over, after which Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain hit 70 off the last six overs to rush Bangladesh to their biggest total in 33 years of ODIs.

Captain Mashrafe Mortaza said it was a good toss to lose. South Africa counterpart Faf du Plessis regretted choosing to bowl first and giving Bangladesh's spinners second go on a used pitch.

"We're a proud sporting nation," du Plessis said. "The skills weren't here [yesterday] but I can promise there will be fight against India."

Bangladesh are back at The Oval to play New Zealand in a match starting at 12.30am on Thursday.

"We can't take our foot off the pedal," Shakib said.

- AP