Match Summary:
- South Africa: 113 for 6 (Klaasen 46, Miller 29, Tanzim 3-18, Taskin 2-19)
- Bangladesh: 109 for 7 (Hridoy 37, Maharaj 3-27, Nortje 2-17, Rabada 2-19)
- Result: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa narrowly escaped defeat to maintain their unbeaten streak in the T20 World Cup 2024, surviving a tense final fixture against Bangladesh at Eisenhower Park in New York. Opting to bat first on a worn pitch, Aiden Markram’s decision nearly backfired as South Africa found themselves reeling at 23 for 4. However, a pivotal 79-run partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller guided them to a defendable total of 113 runs.
Bangladesh's innings faltered early, and they were struggling at 50 for 4 after ten overs. A partnership of 44 runs between Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah rekindled their hopes. As they inched closer to victory, an incident in the 17th over became crucial. Mahmudullah was initially given out lbw off Ottneil Baartman, but the ball deflected off his pad to the boundary for what seemed like four-leg byes. The review showed Mahmudullah was not out, but due to ICC’s DRS rules (3.7.1 for T20Is), the ball was considered dead at the point of impact, and the runs did not count.
Bangladesh ultimately fell short by just four runs, unable to capitalise on Maharaj’s delivery of three full tosses in the final over—his first time bowling the final over in a T20 International. Maharaj, assigned the last over after South Africa's seamers were bowled out, managed to secure two crucial wickets as Bangladesh's batters aimed for the boundary. Mahmudullah was dismissed on the penultimate ball via a well-timed catch by Markram at long-on, sealing South Africa’s victory and dashing Bangladesh's hopes.
South Africa’s triumph in New York, their third consecutive win, sets them on a solid path as they head to St. Vincent for their final group match against Nepal. They are now in a prime position to qualify for the Super 8s. Meanwhile, Bangladesh will travel to the West Indies to face the Netherlands and Nepal, still with a chance to make it to the Super 8s.
Challenges at the Top Order
Despite the power-packed reputation of their batting line up, South Africa’s top three have struggled significantly in this tournament. Collectively, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, and Aiden Markram have managed only 61 runs in nine innings at an average of 6.77. Among teams that have played at least two matches, only Uganda and PNG have lower averages.
Reeza Hendricks has been particularly worrisome, with scores of 4, 3, and 0. His dismissals suggest a technical flaw, often getting stuck in his crease and misjudging the line. With Ryan Rickelton waiting in the wings, Hendricks could be at risk of losing his spot in the next match.
The situation worsened when Tristan Stubbs was dismissed for a duck in the fifth over. It was only the fifth instance in men’s T20Is where South Africa lost their first four wickets by the fifth over, and two of these instances occurred in this tournament. Fortunately for them, Klaasen and Miller provided stability in the middle overs.
Bangladesh’s Bowling Brilliance in Death Overs
Tanzim Hasan set the tone for Bangladesh with an impressive spell, taking 3 for 18, while Taskin Ahmed excelled in the death overs. Supported by Rishad Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman, the trio restricted South Africa to just 13 runs in the last three overs. Taskin’s precision saw him finish with figures of 2 for 19 from four overs. Klaasen fell in the 18th over to Taskin and Rishad’s top spinner in the 19th over removed Miller.
Mustafizur (The Fizz) took over for the final over, limiting Maharaj to a mere four runs before bowling four consecutive dots, followed by a wide, and allowing only three runs off the last two balls. Despite the tight bowling, South Africa’s inability to score boundaries in the closing overs almost cost them the game.
South Africa’s Nerve-Wracking Defense
With Bangladesh needing 20 runs from the last 18 balls, South Africa’s bowlers held their nerve. Kagiso Rabada, who had not been in top form throughout the tournament, bowled the 18th over and managed to dismiss Hridoy with a hard-length delivery, giving away only one additional run in the over.
Ottneil Baartman’s 19th over maintained the pressure, conceding just seven runs with slightly fuller deliveries that neither Mahmudullah nor Jaker Ali could effectively hit. Maharaj was then left to defend 12 runs in the final over. Starting with a wide, his second legitimate ball, a low full toss, was hit straight down the ground by Mahmudullah, but the slow outfield prevented it from reaching the boundary. Jaker Ali failed to clear long-on with his shot, and Rishad managed only a leg bye. The final two full tosses saw Mahmudullah caught by Markram, while Taskin could only push the last ball to cover, securing a narrow victory for South Africa.
Mahmudullah, reflecting on the narrow margin of defeat, saw how close Bangladesh came to securing a place in the Super Eights. In cricket, moments of intense pressure and intricate play often create complex situations that broadcasts cannot fully capture.