CWC 2019: SA vs BAN, Review – Bangladesh script another memorable victory
It was another golden chapter in the history of Bangladesh cricket as they inflicted a defeat on much more fancied South Africa. It was a highly professional performance from the Bangladeshi unit, who are starting to make big waves in international cricket, becoming a serious threat to all the major teams. They outperformed the Proteas both with the bat and the ball, to get their tournament off to a flyer.
With a 21 run loss, South Africa’s poor start to the tournament continued, as they failed to up their performance after a crushing defeat against England in the tournament opener. They now have a mammoth task on their hand, if they are to have a chance of qualifying for the semis, with many tough matches still to come.
Experience shows its class
For Bangladesh to perform well in the match, they needed their experienced players to be at their very best. The batters in this regard did not disappoint one bit, with Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah all showing their class. Shakib batting at No.3 scored a brilliant 75 off 84 deliveries. His partnership with Mushfiqur who scored 78 off 80 set the platform for the Tigers to launch an all-out assault at the very end. Mahmudullah then added the cherry on the top, by scoring a blistering 46 off only 33 deliveries to help Bangladesh to their biggest ever World Cup total of 330/6.
South African bowlers lack the punch
The South African bowling attack again looked pedestrian on a flat wicket at the Oval. They could neither generate any meaningful swing nor could they extract some extra pace off the surface. Though big names on paper, the likes of Rabada, Morris and Tahir were all under-par, with the Bangladeshi batters negotiating them with ease. The injury to Lungi Ngidi was also a big blow, as South Africa then had to extract overs out of part-time bowlers JP Duminy and Aiden Markram.
Protean batting looks shallow
A lot of discourse before the start of tournament revolved around how much would the South Africans miss AB de Villiers. The results in the first two games of the tournament speak for itself. Markram, de Kock, du Plessis, Miller and van der Dussen all got starts. But none of them could convert it into a big one. One big knock and the Proteas would have surely been home. In the end, Duminy had too much to do. Despite his valiant innings of 46 off 37 deliveries, South Africa still succumbed to a 21 run defeat. The batters will have to pull their sleeves up and take on much greater responsibility if the Proteas want to embark on a winning run and give themselves a chance to qualify for the semis.
