Friday, May 03, 2024
Putting behind their dismal performance, Bangladesh seek redemption Tuesday as they take on mighty South Africa in their fifth game of the ICC Cricket World Cup at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The match starts at 2:30 PM (Bangladesh Time).
Bnagladesh’s World Cup journey took a massive nosedive after tasting three consecutive defeats following a victory in their opening game against Afghanistan.
Now they will face off a team which has been in tremendous form with their batters coming with all guns blazing in each match, reports BSS.
South Africa posted 428-5 against Sri Lanka, 311-7 against Australia, 207 all out against Netherlands and 399-7 against defending champions England in their last matches, which demonstrated the devastating form of their batters.
But the spot of bother was their defeat against Netherlands, a match in which they could not overhaul the target successfully after the Netherlands piled up 245-8.
The defeat at the hands of Netherlands was seen as a one-off incident but that was the only time in the tournament so far when they chased the target.
So Bangladesh can take note that they have shortcomings when they chase the target.
But what is the ominous sign for Bangladesh is that South Africa crushed England by a record 229 runs margin after posting 399-7 at this very venue a few days ago.
Meantime they also coped with Mumbai's shimmering heat. Bangladesh players on the other hand were seen struggling in the scorching heat during their practice session.
Mumbai's short boundary and even bounce made it a batting paradise, much to the despair of Bangladesh which are not used to playing in batting favourable wicket or sporting wicket. South Africa's fast bowlers also showed that the Mumbai wicket is favourable for fast bowlers if they can bowl intelligently.
Bangladesh basically is used to winning matches against big teams, playing slow and low wickets at home. But that was not the case in a multinational tournament. In the last three matches they got batting favourable wicket but couldn't post even 270 plus total.
It's a thing that the vice-captain Najmul Hossain Shanto who led the side against India in the last match in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan pointed out, saying that they should play in good wicket at home.
"We need to play on a wicket where the bounce is even. We need to play on a sporting wicket where batters and bowlers will get the advantage."
While Bangladesh can take the confidence from Netherlands victory against South Africa, also the World Cup record could boost their morale. Bangladesh won two and lost two against South Africa in four meetings, which was their best result against a top-flight nation in the ICC event. In the last World Cup also, Bangladesh beat a full-strength South African side, putting up a score in excess of 330.
In the 2007 World Cup, Bangladesh beat South Africa, thanks to an exceptional Mohammad Ashraful's 87, which is regarded as still the best knock played by a Bangladeshi batter in World Cup.
Shakib Al Hasan's all-around performance played a key role in Bangladesh's victory in the last World Cup. Shakib might come back in the match against South Africa after missing the India fixture due to his left quad injury.
But Bangladesh will continue to miss fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, who looked not match fit.
Overall the two teams played 24 matches, of which Bangladesh had six and lost 18.
South Africa might field an unchanged side, which meant regular captain Temba Bavuma would be absent again. Due to his bad patch, Bavuma dropped himself from the team, handing Aiden Markram the captaincy.
If Shakib returns to the team, Bangladesh would have to bring changes to the squad.
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Liton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (vc), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Lizaad Williams , Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram (c ), David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen.
