South Africa take on plucky Bangladesh

South Africa’s David Miller celebrates scoring the winning runs against the Netherlands during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, N.Y., Saturday, June 8, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Africa will hope for a better batting performance when they take on a plucky Bangladesh in their Group D match of the T20 World Cup here on Monday.

Both teams will have their task cut out as they will have to navigate the unpredictable surface at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

While South Africa may have a slight edge having played their previous two games here, Bangladesh are somewhat familiar with the conditions having faced India in their warm-up fixture at this venue.

South Africa laboured to victory against the Netherlands on Saturday and their batters didn’t look comfortable in the win against Sri Lanka either while chasing 103 and 77 respectively.

The Proteas are not expected to tinker with their four-pronged pace attack comprising Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Ottneil Baartmen that has served them well in the tournament so far with Keshav Maharaj taking on the spin duties.

The batters, however, will have to do better. Against the Netherlands, South Africa managed just 33 after 10 overs.

Had it not been for their No. 4 Tristan Stubbs and David Miller, who walked in at number six to score an unbeaten fifty, the Porteas would have been staring at a hat-trick of defeats at the hands of the Dutch at the World Cups.

A win will put South Africa firmly in the driver’s seat for a Super Eight spot.

History is also on South Africa’s side as they haven’t ever lost to Bangaldesh in T20Is and have beaten the Tigers in each of the last two editions of the World Cup.

Bangladesh began their campaign with a win over rivals Sri Lanka which will boost their morale.

But like the Proteas, the Bangladesh batters will also have to do better. They had struggled in the warm-up game against India and also against Sri Lanka.

The top-order is prone to collapses and while Liton Das has done well, the others have to take more responsibility, especially in testing conditions.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is not firing either with the ball or the bat, which is a cause for concern for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s pace attack lacks a genuine tearaway fast bowler who can rock the opposition at the top and they might struggle against a formidable South African line-up comprising several power hitters.

Teams (From):

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs.

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Travelling reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud.

Match starts 8pm IST.