Bangladesh fall short by four runs against South Africa
Bangladesh succumbed to a heartbreaking four-run defeat in their T20 World Cup fixture against South Africa at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
With 18 runs needed off the last two overs, Bangladesh batters failed to put away three full tosses as they fell short by four runs. Jaker Ali, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Taskin Ahmed had the opportunity to seal the game by putting away those full tosses but it was not to be for the Tigers who only prolonged their losing streak to nine T20Is against South Africa.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Mahmudullah had the golden chance to win the match for his side in the last over but was caught just before the the boundary line at long-off after which Taskin sliced another full toss giving South Africa the win. Mahmudullah had his hands on his head after he realised he failed to clear the ropes.
Bangladesh had managed to shrug off their early scare, courtesy of a 44-run stand between Mahmudullah and Towhid Hridoy. The Tigers were reduced to four down for 50 after 10 overs but the duo batted expertly to keep their side on track for a memorable win. Hridoy was the main aggressor in the innings as he hit two sixes and as many fours in a 34-ball 37 and Mahmudullah provided able support with a 27-ball 20.
Bangladesh were in control as they needed 20 in the last two overs before Hridoy had to walk back after falling to an lbw decision that went against the Tigers on umpire's call. Neither he bowler, Kagiso Rabada, nor his teammates appealed with conviction and the shout seemed hopeful more than anything but to everyone's surprise, the umpire took no time to raise his fingers and upon Hridoy's review, the ball seemed to have just clipped the top of leg-stump.
Things changed quickly after that dismissal as the Tigers managed just two runs in that over, the 18th of the innings, and had a new batter, Jaker Ali, struggling to make contact.
Jaker's struggled continued in the penultimate over as Bangladesh managed seven runs and needed 11 for victory in the last six balls. Jaker failed to put the away the third ball of the over, a low full toss, for a boundary and was caught in the next delivery.
Rishad Hossain missed his first ball but scampered through for a single to bring Mahmudullah back on strike. The 38-year-old could not have asked for a better delivery to smack a six and guide his side home but Bangladesh's hopes ended when his hit fell short.
Earlier, Taskin Ahmed and Rishad Hossain got rid of Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller as Bangladesh reined in South Africa's charge to restrict them to 113 for six in 20 overs.
Taskin came back in the 18th over and bowled Klaasen (46) with a slower delivery before Rishad bamboozled Miller (29) as the Proteas only managed 23 runs in the last four overs.
Taskin finished with two for 19 while Tanzim ended with three for 18. Mustafizur Rahman gave away 18 runs, including a four-run final over, but went wicketless.
Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were doing a pretty good repair job after the early damage, negotiating pace and spin and punishing every loose balls as the Proteas were looking to put on a defendable score on the tricky Nassau County pitch.
The middle-order rocks of South African batting took the score from 23 for 4 to 64 for four by the end of the 12th over. Klaasen showed his brutal side, dispatching leg-spinner Rishad Hossain for two monstrous sixes. Miller, who guided the team to a tricky chase against The Netherlands the other day, was more circumspect.
Miller, however, had a reprieve when he was dropped behind the stumps by Liton Das off Mahmudullah's bowling.
Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed spewed fire on the Nassau County pitch, reducing South Africa to 25 for four in six overs, with Tanzim taking three wickets and Taskin grabbing one.
Taskin broke through South Africa skipper Aiden Markram's defences with a brute of a delivery before Tanzim sent back Tristan Stubbs with a rising delivery which seemed to stop a bit on the surface, with Shakib Al Hasan taking a low diving catch at short cover. The Proteas were four down for 25 at the end of the Powerplay, with Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller at the crease.
Tigers need 31 in last five overs
Bangladesh batters Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah Riyad kept the Tigers ticking after a rocky start in their T20 World Cup fixture against South Africa. The duo put together a 33-run stand to motor their side towards a maiden T20I victory against the Proteas.
The Tigers were 83 for four after 15 overs. Hridoy remained unbeaten on a 28-ball 29 while Mahmudullah was not out on a run-a-ball 14.
Bangladesh were reduced to four down for 50 runs after the halfway mark of their chase.
Liton, Shakib depart in quick succession
Bangladesh batters Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan departed in successive overs to leave the Tigers in a spot of bother in their pursuit of South Africa's 113-run total.
After nine overs, Bangladesh were 49 for the loss of three.
Liton drove one straight to the hands of the fielder at short-cover in the seventh over after scoring a 13-ball nine, while Shakib perished in the next over when he tried to pull. The left-handed batter, who scored a four-ball three, fell to a tame dismissal as he scooped one to short midwicket.
Shakib's dismissal brought Towhid Hridoy to the crease, with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto unbeaten on 14 off 22 balls at the other end.
Tanzid departs early
Bangladesh opener Tanzid Tamim departed early after hitting a couple of impressive boundaries to leave the Tigers one down for nine at the end of the second over.
The left-handed batter misjudged the length and edged it to the wicketkeeper to give Kagiso Rabada his first wicket.
His departure brought Liton Das to the middle.
Pacers help restrict South Africa to 113 for six
Taskin Ahmed and Rishad Hossain got rid of Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller as Bangladesh reined in South Africa's charge to restrict them to 113 for six in 20 overs.
Taskin came back in the 18th over and bowled Klaasen (46) with a slower delivery before Rishad bamboozled Miller (29) as the Proteas only managed 23 runs in the last four overs.
Taskin finished with two for 19 while Tanzim ended with three for 18. Mustafizur Rahman gave away 18 runs, including a four-run final over, but went wicketless.
Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were doing a pretty good repair job after the early damage, negotiating pace and spin and punishing every loose balls as the Proteas were looking to put on a defendable score on the tricky Nassau County pitch.
The middle-order rocks of South African batting took the score from 23 for 4 to 64 for four by the end of the 12th over. Klaasen showed his brutal side, dispatching leg-spinner Rishad Hossain for two monstrous sixes. Miller, who guided the team to a tricky chase against The Netherlands the other day, was more circumspect.
Miller, however, had a reprieve when he was dropped behind the stumps by Liton Das off Mahmudullah's bowling.
Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed spewed fire on the Nassau County pitch, reducing South Africa to 25 for four in six overs, with Tanzim taking three wickets and Taskin grabbing one.
Taskin broke through South Africa skipper Aiden Markram's defences with a brute of a delivery before Tanzim sent back Tristan Stubbs with a rising delivery which seemed to stop a bit on the surface, with Shakib Al Hasan taking a low diving catch at short cover. The Proteas were four down for 25 at the end of the Powerplay, with Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller at the crease.
Tanzim sends opener back
Tanzim Hasan Sakib removed Reeza Hendricks and Quinton de Kock in his first two overs, after being taken for a six and a four by de Kock in the very first over of the match.
The young pacer pinned Hendricks on his back foot, with the ball skidding in to hit the pad straight in front of the stumps, leaving the batter with no doubt regarding a review.
The pacer returned for his second over and sent back the dangerous-looking de Kock, who had raced on to 18 off 11 deliveries, with a slightly incoming delivery that shaped in just a bit after pitching outside the off stump.
South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bat first against Bangladesh in their T20 World Cup fixture at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York today.
South Africa go into this match with four points from two matches, but it must be said that they were pushed in both those games -- against Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. Bangladesh, on the other hand, scraped past Sri Lanka in their first match.
The Proteas, however, played both their matches on the tricky Nassau wickets while Bangladesh's only experience from this venue was a pre-tournament warm-up match against India.
South Africa are unchanged but Bangladesh make one change, with much-maligned Soumya Sarkar replaced by Jaker Ali Anik.
TEAMS
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Jaker Ali, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman
South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman
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