DHAKA South Africa ensured top place in Group B and sent Bangladesh to the brink of World Cup elimination with a 206-run win on Saturday.
South Africa’s win means India and England are also assured of quarterfinal places. West Indies can advance if its avoids a heavily lopsided defeat to India at Chennai on Sunday.
Bangladesh’s only hope of advancing is for the West Indies to slump to a heavy defeat and fall behind on the net runrate for the tournament. Both teams are on six points.
Bangladesh was bowled out for 78 runs in 28 overs, chasing South Africa’s 284 for 8 to win the Group B match and secure a World Cup quarterfinal spot.
Only Tigers’ captain Shakib Al-Hasan made double figures (30 off 49 balls) as the team fell to the guiles of left-arm spinner Robin Peterson (4 for 12) and seam from left-arm pace bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe (3 for 14).
Jacques Kallis was among three batsman to score half centuries as South Africa reached 284 for eight Saturday, setting Bangladesh a challenging target.
South Africa skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat, then shared a 98-run opening stand with Hashim Amla before he was stumped for 45.
Amla was out for 51 with the addition of nine to the total, then Kallis shared stands of 34 with JP Duminy (17) and 82 with Faf du Plessis (52) before giving a return catch to Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan and was out for 69.
Rubel Hossain took a wicket in the last over and finished with 3-56, while Shakib returned 2-46.
Bangladesh’s 283-9 in reply to India’s 370-4 in an 87-run loss in the opening match has been its highest total in the tournament so far.
South Africa, already qualified for the quarterfinals, rested key bowlers Dayle Steyn, Morne Morkel and veteran batsman AB de Villiers.
South Africa has eight points to lead the group, one point ahead of India and England and two clear of Bangladesh and West Indies. With four teams vying for the three remaining quarterfinal spots from Group B, results of weekend matches will determine positions. India plays West Indies on Sunday.
The South African openers started confidently, reaching 51 by the 10th over when Smith got a reprieve. He was on 26 when he was adjudged lbw but had the decision overturned on review.
The first breakthrough for Bangladesh came in 20.4 overs when Smith was stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim off Mahmuduallah.
Smith came down the track to play Mahmuduallah but was beaten by a wider, flighted delivery and Mushfiqur whipped off the bails.
Amla was the next man to go, bowled by Abdur Razzak, after classy 59-ball innings that contained six boundaries.
Hossain had Duminy caught behind by Mushfiq to slip to 141-3 in the 30th over.
Shakib broke up the fourth-wicket partnership with a caught-and-bowled dismissal of Kallis, ending a 76-ball innings that contained five boundaries and a six, and he also removed Morne van Wyk for 5.
Hossain’s three-wicket haul included Duminy, du Plessis and Wayne Parnell (0) and had Faf du Plessis (52). He also had Johan Botha (12) run out late in the innings.
Robin Peterson (22) and Lonwabo Tsotsobe (4) were unbeaten after 50 overs.
