South Africa 113 for 6 (Klaasen 46, Miller 29, Tanzim 3-18, Taskin 2-19) beat Bangladesh 109 for 7 (Hridoy 37, Maharaj 3-27, Nortje 2-17, Rabada 2-19) by four runs.
In a nail-biting T20 World Cup 2024 match at Eisenhower Park, New York, South Africa managed to maintain their perfect win record by narrowly defeating Bangladesh by four runs. Opting to bat first, South Africa faced early trouble, slumping to 23 for 4. However, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller’s record 79-run fifth-wicket partnership helped them post 113, a total they fiercely defended.
Bangladesh’s chase started poorly, with the team at 50 for 4 after ten overs. Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah’s 44-run stand revived their hopes, but a controversial incident in the 17th over involving Mahmudullah’s dismissal, which cost them four crucial runs, added to their woes. Despite Keshav Maharaj’s three full tosses in the final over, Bangladesh couldn’t capitalize, falling short by four runs.
Maharaj, bowling the last over for the first time in T20Is, took two key wickets, with Mahmudullah’s dismissal on the penultimate ball, caught by Aiden Markram at long-on, sealing Bangladesh’s fate.
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South Africa’s top-order batting woes continued, with Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, and Markram averaging just 6.77 in the tournament. Hendricks, in particular, struggled with scores of 4, 3, and 0, raising concerns about his technique.
Tristan Stubbs’ early dismissal for a duck further compounded their issues. Yet, Klaasen and Miller’s contributions were vital, shoring up the innings in the middle.
In the death overs, Tanzim Hasan (3 for 18) and Taskin Ahmed (2 for 19) shone for Bangladesh, restricting South Africa to just 13 runs in the last three overs. Rishad Hossain’s gamble in the penultimate over paid off as he dismissed Miller, and Mustafizur Rahman’s economical last over further frustrated the South African batters.
With three wins from three matches, South Africa heads to St. Vincent to face Nepal, poised to qualify for the Super 8s. Bangladesh, still in contention, will travel to the West Indies to play the Netherlands and Nepal.
South Africa’s win highlighted their resilience, but their top-order struggles and Bangladesh’s spirited chase showcased the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket.
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