(ESPNCRICINFO) – Bangladesh have now won ODIs in every country they have played in.
They ticked South Africa off the list yesterday, registering their first win in 20 years of touring here. They beat the home side by 38 runs, following a team effort that included three fifties that set up a total of 314 for 7, and two bowlers taking three wickets or more.
David Miller was Bangladesh’s last stumbling block but when the left-hander fell in the 46th over, it was all but over for the home side. Miller was stopped at 79 off 57 balls, at a time when he was striking a boundary almost every over. Rassie van der Dussen top-scored with 86, which helped South Africa get out of an early jam, but it wasn’t enough in a big chase.
Shakib Al Hasan’s rapid 77 was the centrepiece of Bangladesh total, their highest in South Africa. He added 115 for the fourth wicket with Yasir Ali, who made his maiden ODI fifty. Bangladesh hit 11 sixes in their innings, equaling their record for an overseas ODI.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who gave Tamim Iqbal a bit of a headache after an expensive first spell, ended up taking four wickets including Miller’s. But Taskin Ahmed was Bangladesh’s best bowler, with figures of 3 for 36.
He struck twice in the first nine overs as Bangladesh struck three early blows. Shoriful Islam had Janneman Malan caught behind, before Taskin jammed one into Kyle Verreynne’s pads, plumb in front, and then had Aiden Markram caught at point for a three-ball duck.
Temba Bavuma and van der Dussen took stock of the dire situation, and slowly rebuilt the chase with an 85-run stand. Bavuma found it difficult to pierce the gaps, but van der Dussen stroked the ball better, hitting three beautiful cover drives apart from two reverse-swept fours, two hits through midwicket and a top-edged six.
Shoriful removed Bavuma in the 27th over but it brought more trouble to the crease for Bangladesh: Miller.
He provided the thrust in a 70-run fifth-wicket stand with van der Dussen, giving South Africa a sniff despite the steep required rate. Bangladesh could have broken the partnership in the 35th over when substitute Najmul Hossain Shanto scored a direct hit from mid-off.
But third umpire Adrian Holdstock viewed just one replay even though TV commentator Pommie Mbagwa kept making the point that van der Dussen’s bat was in the air. It was, as replays showed a few balls later.
Thankfully for Bangladesh, van der Dussen fell three overs later when Yasir took a superb diving catch at the deep square-leg boundary. Andile Phehlukwayo struggled through 12 balls, playing and missing frequently, before holing out to Litton Das at long-off.
