Paarl: AB de Villiers returned from his sabbatical with a blistering 176 off 104 balls to set up South Africa’s series-clinching 104-run win over Bangladesh in the second one-day International, here on Wednesday.

De Villiers hit his career-best score in 50-over cricket in his first international innings in four months, taking South Africa to 353 for six after they were put in to bat by Bangladesh at Boland Park.

Bangladesh replied with 249 all out, with 21-year-old seamer Andile Phehlukwayo claiming four for 40.

South Africa lead the three-match series 2-0, and now has the luxury of resting some of their big names for the final game on Sunday. Bangladesh are still searching for their first win over the Proteas on the tour, having also lost the Test series 0-2.

Imrul Kayes made 68 for Bangladesh at the top of the order and Mushfiqur Rahim hit 60, but it wasn’t enough as they chased South Africa’s big score.

That big total was mainly down to the improvisation and power-hitting of De Villiers, who arrived with South Africa on 90 for two and left just over two overs from the end with his team 343 for four.

He was part of century stands with Hashim Amla (85) and JP Duminy (30), and was the driving force of both, making 86 of the 136 runs he put on with Amla and 90 of the 117 he put on with Duminy.

De Villiers’s last international was at the Champions Trophy in England in June. He skipped the Test series against England and Bangladesh to rest and spend time with his family.

The break appears to have been well-timed for the 33-year-old former South Africa captain. He collected 15 fours and seven sixes on his way to the fourth highest score by a South African in ODIs. He was out caught in the deep only 12 runs short of Gary Kirsten’s South African record of 188 not out.

De Villiers took only 68 balls to get to 100.

(Agencies)

South Africa
H. Amla    c Rahim b Rubel    85
Q de Kock    lbw Shakib    46
F du Plessis    b Shakib    0
A de Villiers    c Sabbir b Rubel    176
J. Duminy    lbw Rubel    30
F. Behardien    not out    7
D. Pretorius    c Kayes b Rubel    0
A. P’wayo    not out    0
Extras (lb-2 w-7)    9
Total (6 wickets; 50 overs)    353
Fall of wickets 1/90, 2/90, 3/226, 4/343, 5/353, 6/353
Bowling: Mashrafe 10-0-82-0, Taskin 9-0-71-0, Shakib 10-0-60-2, Nasir 8-0-49-0, Rubel 10-0-62-4, Sabbir 1-0-11-0, Mahmudullah 2-0-16-0

Bangladesh
T. Iqbal    lbw Pretorius    23
I. Kayes    c De Villiers b Tahir    68
L. Das    lbw Phehlukwayo     14
M. Rahim    c Duminy b Pretorius    60
S. Hasan    c De Kock b Tahir    5
M'dullah    b Phehlukwayo    35
S. Rahman    c Du Plessis b Tahir    17
N. Hossain    b Phehlukwayo    3
M. Mortaza    lbw Phehlukwayo    0
T. Ahmed    not out    3
R. Hossain    b Paterson    8
Extras (lb-4 w-9)    13
Total (all out; 47.5 overs)    249
Fall of wickets 1/44, 2/69, 3/162, 4/171, 5/184, 6/219, 7/234, 8/234, 9/239
Bowling: Rabada 9-1-40-0, Paterson 8.5-0-67-1, Pretorius 10-0-48-2, Phehlukwayo 10-1-40-4, Tahir 10-0-50-3

MoM: AB de Villiers