‘Bigger than the IPL’

Normally what happens is that when we get two or three quick wickets, the opposition then gets back into the game through a big partnership and goes on to post a big total. But today's attitude was different. It was that no matter what, we will finish it off as quickly as possible.

— Tamim Iqbal

"I am a proud man, especially with a Bangladeshi fast bowler getting a five-for, winning the series [for us] and winning the player-of-the-series award."

This is how Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal expressed his emotions regarding Taskin Ahmed's brilliant performance which helped the Tigers seal a maiden ODI series win away to South Africa in Centurion on Wednesday.

The rise of the Bangladesh pace bowling unit in recent times has played a vital role behind the team's success and Taskin has led the way this time.

The 26-year-old showed great skill and consistency throughout the series, picking up three wickets in the first ODI before blowing the South African batting order away by utilising the pace and seaming Centurion surface yesterday. His match figures of five for 35 runs were outstanding to say the least.

Thanks to Taskin's second five-wicket haul, Bangladesh bundled out the Proteas for 154 runs – their lowest against the Tigers – on way to the comfortable nine-wicket victory.

But Taskin's performance was neither unexpected nor surprising as the tearaway pacer has been following the mantra of sticking to the process and not thinking about the outcome, which eventually paid off grand dividends in this series. 

"For me, the Bangladeshis were the better outfit. They showed us how to play. You saw how clinical they were with the bat. We were completely outplayed in this series."

— Temba Bavuma South Africa captain

"I'm feeling happy and proud. This is the first time for me getting the player-of-the-series award. For the last one-and-half and two years, I have been following the same process. In every match, my captain always supports me, and gives me a clear role to be fast and aggressive and take wickets. I enjoyed it a lot here, and from when we arrived, I have been working on my length. I still have to learn how to get five wickets on a flat wicket," an elated Taskin said during the post match presentation ceremony.

Interestingly it's the same Taskin, who was out of the national setup for over three years following Bangladesh's last tour of South Africa back in 2017. His transformation as a fast bowler since making a comeback was the result of sheer hard work.

"Obviously it's good that we won the series and I always want to contribute in every series and it's a big achievement for us winning this series. Before coming to this tour, someone said to me that I was dropped after the previous South Africa tour four years back and what was my goal this time around. I said I wanted to be the main contributor behind Bangladesh's win and I am happy to have done that," said Taskin.

Although South Africa made a flying start after choosing to bat first, reaching 46 in seven overs, the introduction of Taskin following the dismissal of Quinton de Kock in the eighth over started to turn things around, with the pacer immediately realising the bounce the pitch had on offer.

Taskin's five-wicket haul made him the first overseas bowler to achieve that feat on South African soil since Lasith Malinga in 2012.   It takes immense will and focus for a cricketer to forego a lucrative first-time offer from the money-spinning Indian Premier League. Skipper Tamim Iqbal hailed Taskin's sacrifice, saying that what Taskin achieved in this series for Bangladesh is 'bigger than the IPL'.