DHAKA, March 18: Bangladesh hope to come out with all guns blazing when they clash with powerful South Africa in a must-win game here at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium on Saturday to enter the World Cup quarter-finals.

England’s dramatic win over the West Indies in Chennai on Thursday ruined Bangladesh’s hopes of easing into the knock-out rounds without having to contend with South Africa’s firepower.

They now face a make-or-break battle to determine their future in the tournament in front of 25,000 fanatical supporters in the day game.

South Africa are the only team in Group ‘B’ to have qualified for the quarter-finals, with four others – India, West Indies, Bangladesh and England – vying for the remaining three berths over the weekend.

Bangladesh are tied with the West Indies on six points, India and England are on seven each and group leaders South Africa are on eight.

If Bangladesh lose to South Africa, their poor net run-rate of -0.765 will almost certainly lead to their exit, unless India defeat the West Indies by a huge margin on Sunday.

South Africa have won 12 of their 13 one-dayers against Bangladesh, five of them on the Tigers’ home soil, including a 3-0 sweep in 2008.

Bangladesh’s lone win came during the Super Eights round of the previous World Cup in the Caribbean when they clinched a 67-run victory on a turning track in Providence.

Bangladesh’s coach Jamie Siddons admitted the task ahead was difficult – but not impossible.

“Beating South Africa is not going to be easy,” he said. “They are playing really good cricket and they are a great team. But we have the advantage of playing at home.”

Meanwhile, Shakib claimed his team will not be easily pushed aside when they take on South Africa.

“We go into the match after two consecutive wins against England and the Netherlands, so the confidence of the team is high,” Shakib said. “If we stick to our plans and execute them well, I think we have a very good chance to beat South Africa. They are obviously a very strong team, but we won’t be found wanting.”

South Africa will look to the match to fine-tune their preparations for the business end of the tournament.

Skipper Graeme Smith does not expect another shock World Cup loss at Bangladesh’s hands.

“We are more street-smart now when we play teams from the sub-continent,” expressed Smith. “We have a better understanding of how to go about it. They [Bangladesh] are a team that likes to play on the front foot. We will plan well for them,” he said.

Seamers Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell could be drafted in if Steyn, who picked up a minor side strain against Ireland on Tuesday, and Morkel are rested.

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir has also recovered from a fractured thumb and A.B. de Villiers is back after missing the Irish game with a thigh muscle strain.

Teams (from): BANGLADESH: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful,

Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo. SOUTH AFRICA: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, A.B. de Villiers, J.P. Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk.

PITCH CONDITIONS: A slow wicket where the ball does not come on to the bat, but it has provided equal opportunities for fast bowlers and spinners.

UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (Pakistan), Daryl Harper (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: Rod Tucker (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand).—Agencies