Finally, an Asian team stood up to the challenge in this World Cup. Bangladesh played like tigers, as they are referred to, overcoming a below-par South African team at The Oval yesterday. They made the most of the conditions as, after being put in to bat, they ran up a total of 330, their highest ever in the World Cup. Overhauling the huge target on a sluggish pitch was always going to be difficult for the South African batsmen and so it proved as Bangladesh bowled very well and despite some poor catching, restricted their opponents to 309-8.

One would consider it rather surprising that South African skipper Faf du Plessis decided to bowl first considering the same Oval pitch was used in the opening match against England. Even in that game, South African had faltered badly chasing a 300-plus total. Probably Du Plessis was influenced by the way the other Asian teams — Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan — had crumbled batting first against other opponents.