Bangladesh national cricket team made history on Wednesday as they thumped South Africa in the third and final One-Day International of the series by nine wickets at Centurion to claim a historic series win against the Proteas in their backyard.
The Tigers had never registered a win in South Africa before this tour, and this time around, they not only managed one win, but two to claim a series win.
The foundation of the massive win was laid by Taskin Ahmed, who picked up his second five-wicket haul in international cricket to bowl the Proteas out for just 154. He was ably assisted by his teammates as Shoriful dismissed the dangerous Russie Van Der Dussen, while Shakib picked up two wickets, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz gave the early breakthrough with the important wicket of Quinton De Kock.
In reply, Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal was firing from the start as he and Liton Das put together a 127-run opening stand to all but ensure Bangladesh’s win. Tamim stayed unbeaten on 87 off 82 deliveries to take Bangladesh home with 141 deliveries in hand.
Batting first after winning the toss, South Africa got off to a good start as openers Jannneman Malan and De Kock 46 runs off just 40 deliveries.
Mehidy came in to bowl the seventh over and picked up the wicket of De Kock, who was starved of the strike and skied up a tossed-up delivery to Mahmudullah at long-off.
Kyle Verreynne came in at three and built a 20-run partnership with Malan.
Bangladesh skipper Tamim extended Taskin’s first spell, and he delivered in the 13th taking Verreynne’s wicket. Verreynne tried to drive a wide, length delivery but ended up playing it onto the stumps.
Then, Taskin dismissed Malan (39) with a brilliant delivery that got extra bounce, and the Protea opener could only nick it to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim.
Shakib then trapped South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma LBW, before Shoriful got rid of Rassie van der Dussen with a gem of a delivery. Shoriful’s good length delivery got some extra bounce and hit the splice of van der Dussen’s bat to give Miraz a comfortable catch at point.
From there began the landslide, and Taskin was the destroyer-in-chief. His three wickets meant South Africa were reduced to 126-8, with almost no chance of retribution.
He first dismissed Dwaine Pretorius, who tried a slash but only managed to get caught behind. Then, David Miller, who was batting on 16, tried to tuck away a length delivery on the leg stump but ended up gloving it to the keeper, giving Taskin his fourth wicket.
For his fifth, Taskin bowled it full and swung it away to take the outside edge of Kagiso Rabada.
In came Lungi Ngidi at nine to give Maharaj company. Ngidi didn’t give the scorers any trouble as he went for nought, skying one up off a canny delivery by Shakib.
Maharaj scored 28 runs with four boundaries, but he was run out by skipper Tamim Iqbal after a mix-up with Tabraiz Shamsi, bringing South Africa’s innings to a close at 154.
In reply, Tamim and Liton put the South African bowlers under the sword straightaway as they put together an opening stand of 127 runs off 20.5 overs.
Tamim, after failing in the first two matches, came out all guns blazing as he reached his fifty off 52 deliveries, hitting nine fours.
He continued, and Liton Das, who stayed steady, looked set for another fifty but fell short by two runs as was caught at short extra cover off Maharaj.
Tamim then took Bangladesh home with Shakib at his side.
