South Africa eked out a nervous victory against Bangladesh on Monday in match 21 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in another low-scoring thriller at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. (As It Happened| Full Coverage)
Chasing just 114, Bangladesh fell short by four runs as Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj conceded just six in the final over.
With six needed from the last two balls, Bangladesh hopes rested on Mahmudullah. The hopes were dashed on the penultimate ball as the veteran batter was caught just metres away from the long on fence in a bid to hit a six off a juicy full toss from Maharaj.
Taskin Ahmed, the new batter, also got a full toss but could only get a single and South Africa stole a victory to stay unbeaten in Group D. 114 also became the lowest target defended by any team in T20 World Cup history.
The match followed a template similar to the India vs Pakistan clash that took place on Sunday in the same stadium.
South Africa scored a low total and Bangladesh seemed to be in command for the majority of their chase before losing plot in the end overs.
After winning the toss, the Proteas skipper Aiden Markram decided to bat and the Bangladeshi bowlers did not let the South Africans breath easy.
Tanzim Hasan Sakib was the destroyer in chief for the Tigers taking three wickets in the powerplay. With the first four wickets gone for 23, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller combined to bail South Africa out of trouble.
The duo put up a 79-run stand to take the Proteas into three figures and set the innings for a big finish. However, Bangladesh pulled back things nicely conceding just 13 from the last three overs and getting the wickets of Miller and Klaasen. Taskin Ahmed finished with two scalps and leggie Rishad Hossein also picked up a wicket. Mustafizur Rahman conceded just four runs from the last over and 18 in his four-over spell even though he went wicketless.
Needing 114, Bangladesh started cautiously and lost just a single wicket in powerplay while scoring 25.
The innings was derailed with the wickets of Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan in seventh and eighth overs. Skipper Najmul Shanto also departed in the tenth over.
An in form Towhid Hridoy was then joined by Mahmudullah. The duo played smart cricket and reduced the equation to 20 from 18 with six wickets in hand. Bangladesh looked set to win the game but things turned around sharply. Hridoy was given out lbw off Kagiso Rabada which, when reviewed, turned out to be an umpire's call.
No boundaries came off the last 20 balls for Bangladesh and in the end it was South Africa who defended their lowest target in T20Is.
Group D Standings
The win keeps South Africa on top of Group D with three wins in three games. Bangladesh and Netherlands have a win and a loss and are seperated by very narrow margin on net run rate. Nepal have lost their solitary game while Sri Lanka have two in two.
Bangladesh now play Netherlands on June 13 and then Nepal on June 16. South Africa's last group game is against Nepal on June 14.
