RECAP
Follow UsSouth Africa’s stuttering start
Opting to bat first, South Africa had another poor start. After 2/27 and 4/16 in their previous games, South Africa finished the powerplay at 4/25 today (June 10). Tanzim Hasan snaffled 3/13 in his three overs in the powerplay accounting for the wickets of Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Tristan Stubbs.
Miller, Klaasen revive the Proteas
David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen revived South Africa with a 79-run stand for the fifth wicket. Miller was key to South Africa’s win against Netherlands, varying them from 12/4 at his entry point to hitting the winning runs. Klaasen, however, was having an underpar tournament.
The 32-year old took care of it with a Player of the Match award winning knock of 46 from 44 balls.
But Bangladesh fight back again
Just when it seemed that Klaasen and Miller would take South Africa to a 120-plus score, Bangladesh cut down those runs with brilliant last three overs.
Taskin Ahmed went through Klaasen’s bat swing in the 18th over with a vicious slower delivery. In the next over, the leg-spinner Rishad Hossain cleaned up Miller for 29 (from 38 balls). In the last three overs, the Proteas could manage only 13 runs, ending up with 113 on the board.
The swinging pendulum in the run chase
The match took several twists and turns during Bangladesh’s run chase. They collapsed from 29/1 to 50/4 during Anrich Nortje’s short ball rampage. Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah then kept Bangladesh in the chase, adding 44 runs off 45 balls for the fifth wicket.
However, Hridoy was out lbw in the 18th over that opened the gate for South Africa. Ultimately, the equation was down to 11 runs off the last over for Bangladesh.
The Proteas clinch two points
Keshav Maharaj didn’t bowl the best of the last overs but Bangladesh couldn’t cash on it.
When they needed nine runs from five deliveries, Jaker Ali could only muster two runs off a full toss. On the penultimate ball, with Bangladesh six runs away, Mahmudullah received an even juicier full toss from the left-arm spinner. However, the 38-year-old only hit it to Aiden Markram at long-on, falling short of the winning hit by only a few inches. South Africa won by four runs, keeping one foot in the Super 8s.
If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.
