Bangladesh Vs South Africa T20 International Played on 7 July 2015
Brief Score Card: South Africa 169/4 (de Kock 44, de Villiers 40, DA Miller 30*, RR Russouw 19* ,Nasir Hossain 2/26) beat Bangladesh 138 All Out ( Soumya Sarkar 37 , Rony Talukdar 21, Mushfiqur Rahman 19 , Mashrafe 17 , e Leie 3/16 , Abbott 3/20 Phangiaso 3/ 30) by 31 runs.
South Africa Won the Series 2-0
Man of the Match: E Leie
Man of The Series: F du Plessis
Match Report:
Injured Bengal Tigers failed to bounce back in the Second T20 yesterday as well. Batting trauma continued. Bangladesh chasing a higher target of 170 for winning and squaring the series by 31 runs getting all out at 138. South Africans whitewashed Bangladesh in the two matches T20 series as they won the first by 52 runs on 5 July. The last two overs of South African innings yielding 32 runs was the defining moments of the match. South Africa very competently executed their game plan. They read the wicket much better than Bangladesh and had horses for the courses in the team. Their rookie leg spinner dealt with deadly blows. Bangladesh kept its leg spinner ace warming the benches on the sideline.
Batting first yet again after winning the toss South Africans made explosive start through master blaster AD de Villiers and enterprising Q de Kock. They raced to 95 in 10.3 overs. The pair struck as many as 10 sixes in between them firing in full cylinders. Bangladesh could consider themselves lucky that free flowing of runs could be stemmed first by Arafat Sunny smarting out de Kock and through ever reliable Nasir getting two wickets in successive deliveries. He struck double blows removing dangerous de Villiers and Duminy of successive deliveries. May be de Villiers was a bit unlucky to be given out. The wonder boy again bowled with promise baffling the batsmen with subtle variations of pace and generous use of cutters. He was unlucky not getting more than du Plessis wicket. South Africans were 4/136 in 18th over. Shakib usually is misery in his bowling. But on the 19th over he was plundered for 19 runs and the following over Mustafiz gave away 13. Bangladesh conceded 32 precious runs two last overs. We can see how important was those two overs as Bangladesh ultimately lost by 31 runs.
On a slow low turning wicket possibly prepared to trap the South Africans boomeranged on Bangladesh. Bangladeshi batsmen miserably failed to negotiate the spin attack of debutant leg spinner Leie and not too experience Phangiso. Irresponsible unwarranted stroke play triggered demise of most of the key batsmen. There cannot many excuses in such novice display by a team, which only the recent past performed much better against more experienced spinners of the subcontinent. It was the way most of the batsmen got out or sacrificed their wicket without showing any intent to apply and fight that was discouraging.
We know the cricket admirers of Bangladesh have enough reasons for feeling anxious and worried about the way Bangladesh cricket team went down virtually without any fight against South Africa in two consecutive T20 Matches on 5th & 7th July. We understand after very encouraging performances in World Cup and historic wins against two sub continental giants it can be a bit difficult in absorbing such comprehensive defeats. These were rather abject surrender to cricket super power from Africa against the very character of fearless tigers that were in view in recent time.
We do not thing scoring 170 and winning the match was beyond the reach by 8 men genuine batsmen loaded Bangladesh squad. 46 runs start in the first overs were not that bad. Soumya was looking good. He played few glorious strokes. He could lead the team more positively towards the target. There was no necessity for him charging down debutant leg spinner Leie. Again the responsibility of steering the team out rested on the most experienced pair Shakib and Mushfiqur and again they failed to deliver. Both played injudicious strokes. Shabbir and Nasir were panicked. Rony Talukdar looked impressive on his debut and Captain Mashrafe played few delightful strokes. But by then the inevitable happened. I can guarantee bowlers like inexperienced Leie and Phangiso cannot repeat their performance of the day sharing 6 wickets among them against this Bangladesh team if they play the same match again. Bangladesh definitely had some problem with match strategy, team chemistry on the day.
We are aware that T20 is not our forte. But on home wicket prepared by Bangladeshi grounds men on prescription of Bangladesh team management such a pathetic display is not unacceptable. The manner in which Soumya after a good start got out may be because of his youthful exuberance .But why Shakib, Mushfique, Sabbir and Nasir sacrificed their wickets through irresponsible stroke play? Why there could not be more discretion, more professionalism in their approaches? Bangladesh lost two golden opportunities of winning against the much superior opposition. The wicket was difficult for consistent stroke play. Bangladeshi batsmen simply committed suicides.
T20 series is done and dusted. We have to still squeeze the positives. Mustafiz did not bowl all that bad. His variations and cutters troubled South African batsmen. Rony looked a good brave batsman. Soumya with some mentoring can perform much consistently. Bangladesh should have played Jubair in the second match playing one batsman less.
T20 is done and dusted. Now the focus will be on ODI. The sooner Bangladesh can get rid of the bitter memory of T20 will be the better. Bangladesh has to bat much better, bowl with greater consistencies and field much more smartly.
Do not blame wickets. This is our surface. If South Africans can bat and bowl according to the surface no excuse is acceptable for Bangladesh not able to do that. The bowling was not exceptional or unplayable. Bangladesh possibly suffered from some sort of complex in dealing with the South Africans.
BDST: 0834 HRS, JULY 05, 2015
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