The route to Wankhede provides several hints regarding the probable purpose of the voyage. The voyage south on Marine Drive, just after Chowpatty Beach, reveals the Arabian Sea on the right and the city teeming with life, passion, and everything else on the left.
The Catholic Gymkhana, the Police Gymkhana, the Islam Gymkhana, the PJ Hindu Gymkhana, and the Parsi Gymkhana are crammed together within a little more than a kilometer of the stadium. All provide evidence of the fact that cricket has become the most Indian, but not exclusively Indian, of all things.
Some of these locations have nets, others have full-fledged facilities, and others have both as well as floodlights. It appears that you can pass them at any time and see pitches being laid or stakes being set up in anticipation. More frequently, a match is currently in progress.
The sight of these references to various cultures and cricket – in that order – lined up as if for the enlightenment of passersby sends a strong message. It is the fact that the game’s current home address is neither Lord’s nor Dubai, but India. If you disagree, continue less than a kilometer past the Wankhede to find the arrestingly gracious Brabourne, the art deco heritage structure that houses the Cricket Club of India. The members are notoriously anti-cricket, and they complain about not being able to roam the grounds during evening matches. When the elderly take a dim view of something, it has surpassed all boundaries.
And that’s a positive thing. If Tuesday’s men’s World Cup match between Bangladesh and South Africa had been played at the Brabourne, the venerable members may have suffered multiple injuries in addition to the perceived slight of not being allowed to use their facilities as they desire.
Quinton de Kock scored 131 off 137 with Aiden Markram and 142 off 87 with Heinrich Klaasen, who assisted David Miller in scoring 65 off 25. Markram scored 60 runs off 69 balls, but Miller, who entered the crease in the 46th over with permission to excite, scored 34 runs at a strike rate of 226.66. This resulted in a total of 382/5, which was bolstered by the ineffective bowling of the feeble tigers of Bangladesh.
South Africa have scored over 300 in each of the four tournament matches in which they have batted first. Two of these efforts surpassed Tuesday’s. In the last 10 overs, 144 runs were scored. In only two of those overs were the bowlers able to keep the damage below ten. Shakib Al Hasan was greeted harshly upon his return after missing Thursday’s match against India in Pune due to a quadriceps injury. De Kock struck him for two sixes and the same number of fours, and the total went over 22.
After five innings, De Kock’s 174 made him the tournament’s leading run scorer with 408. His innings on Tuesday was the highest score in the 25 ODIs played at the Wankhede and his third century in this tournament, tying him with Mark Waugh, Sourav Ganguly, Matthew Hayden, and David Warner for the most centuries scored in a single World Cup. In 2015, De Kock will surpass Kumar Sangakkara’s performance. Two more and he will surpass Rohit Sharma’s total for 2019!
When more than three-quarters of an innings consist of fours and sixes, as De Kock’s did, it can be challenging to distinguish individual strokes from the dazzling aggregate. The venomous straight drive for four in the 44th over, which sent Shoriful Islam diving for cover, will be remembered. Not the least in Shoriful’s estimation.
“You never want to clip his wings; you just want to let him fly,” said Markram, who acted as captain in place of Temba Bavuma, who also missed Saturday’s encounter against England at the same venue. A few spectators in the throng of 14,068 brandished a handwritten sign that read, “De Kock, please don’t retire after this World Cup!!!” South Africa’s minister of sport, Zizi Kodwa, posted a photograph of the scene on social media with the caption: “I endorse this appeal! Please consider it, Quinny.”
When De Kock reached three figures for the first time in a World Cup match on October 7 against Sri Lanka in Delhi, he emitted a belligerent cheer. On Tuesday, he removed his helmet modestly and raised his bat in a nearly contrite manner. Tuesday’s weather in Mumbai – 35 degrees with 60% humidity – can have such an effect.
How significant was the weather in South Africa’s decision to bat first, thus averting the heat until the sun set? “Today it wasn’t as hot as for the England game, but it was still hot,” indicated Markram. “Fifty overs is a long time to be on the field, whether it’s humid or not; it wears you out considerably. There is this benefit, particularly when temperatures are high. It is not the only reason we batted first, but it can provide a slight advantage.”
On Saturday, Heinrich Klaasen felt the heat up close and personal when his 109 helped South Africa defeat England by 229 runs, England’s deadliest defeat in ODIs. Klaasen was on his haunches whenever he wasn’t bowling, attempting to conserve his remaining energy. How would he handle returning to the wilderness three days later? So much that he ran 34 of his 49 balls for 90 in ones and twos. Two fours and eight sixes accounted for the remaining two-thirds of his score.
Five deliveries remained in Klaasen’s innings before he lofted a catch to the cover boundary off Hasan Mahmud. Klaasen appeared destined for a second century. Despite this, South Africa has struck six of the tournament’s 19 centuries. 10% of the personnel are responsible for just under a third of the home runs.
After his innings on Saturday, Klaasen was too fatigued to play during England’s response. On Tuesday, he batted for 99 minutes, while De Kock was present for 199 minutes. It was uncertain which of the two specialist wicketkeepers would be behind the wickets when play resumed after a 100-minute break. This time, De Kock was given the evening off, while Klaasen maintained his vigor.
Bangladesh’s batting collapsed to 81/6 in 22 overs, doubtless due to a lack of concentration and endurance as a result of the weather. Shakib’s failed comeback concluded when he edged a drive to the fourth delivery he encountered and was caught behind for one. The ball was bowled by Lizaad Williams, who made his World Cup debut in place of Lungi Ngidi and his knee injury.
Bangladesh was destined to lose, but could they avoid tying or tying for the record for the worst defeat in a World Cup match – Afghanistan’s 275-run loss to Australia in Perth in 2015? They evaded the peril in the 28th over, and the remainder of their innings vanished into another sultry Mumbai night.
They were eliminated for 233 in 46.4 seconds, resulting in their fourth loss in five matches. The crowd applauded in vain when Mahmudullah reached his fifth ODI century in the 45th over. His run-a-ball 111 was a feat of deft agility and blasting power that spanned five partnerships, but it is unlikely to be remembered outside of Bangladesh.
On gymkhana row, they had likely spent hours discussing other, superior, closer, and more engaging competitions. And, perhaps, how any team could stop South Africa, which has played five matches and won four of them.
