ICC ODI Cricket League
Bangladesh VS South Africa
3rd ODI Played at Super Sports Park Centurion on 23rd March 2022
Bangladesh 157/1 (Tamim Iqbal 87*, Litton K Das 48, Shakib Al Hasan 18*) beat South Africa 154 All Out in 37 Overs(Janeman Malan 39, Keshav Maharaj 28, Dwaine Pretorious 20 , Taskin Ahmed 5/35, Shakib Al Hasan 2/22) by 9 wickets
Player of The Match: Taskin Ahmed
Man of The Series: Taskin Ahmed
Bengal tigers in the month of our glorious liberation war presented for the nation moments of join winning the first over ODI series 2-1 against strong South Africa in South Africa. Bangladesh won the series deciding 3rd match huge and handsome by 9 wickets. Never before in 20 years Bangladesh won even a single match in any format against the home team in South Africa. With this series win in the month of March only 3 days from the 51 anniversary of Liberation War Bangladesh rewrote few pages of cricket history. The indomitable courage and self believe showing which Bangladesh match one and reversed the tide after losing the second ODI by huge margin would make our postririty pride for years to come. In January 2022 Bangladesh recorded its first win in New Zealand surprising the world Test Champions in the first test. Now they won a new frontier in South Africa. The momentum created may lead them in winning the 2 matches test series which some leading players of South Africa would skip for playing in IPL.
Bangladesh won the first ODI playing in same venue by 38 runs, lost the second match by 7 wickets . Playing brave and fearless cricket they rocked home team by 9 wickets yesterday. Speedster Taskin taking 5/35 broke the backbone of Protean batting. Captain (87*) and Litton K Das (48) putting up record setting 127 runs first wicket partnership set the foundation for the win. Super star Shakib capped it off striking the winning run. The series win was an integrated contribution of A-Z of the team. With 120 points Bangladesh stays on top of ICC ODI league. The chances of Bangladesh playing directly in ICC World Cup 2023 in India has brightened. With players like Afif , Yasir , Mehedi Miraj and Shoriful contributing alongside four world class senior Bangladesh turns out as a dark horse for ICC World Cup 2023.
Bangladesh won series before against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe and depleted West Indies . But never before against a full strength superior team on tour. Moreover, South Africa only a couple of months back comprehensively white washed India . It was great that Tamim, Shakib and Mushfique who featured in the World cup win against South Africa in 2007 were there yesterday to party over the historic win. This ODI team is turning out as possibly strongest ever team with all fronts covered. Moreover, they now have a strong Protean team to fine tune them.
Possibly losing the toss yesterday was a blessing in disguise for Bangladesh. Flamboyant Malan and Quinton de cock launched savaged counter attack. But as soon as de cock was sent back by Miraj , Taskin rocked the Protean Top order with sheering pace and disconcerting bounce. Shakib also joined the party with his miserly tight spin. The team fielded like roaring Royal Bengal . Restricting South Africa to 154 presented that golden opportunity of rewriting cricket history. Tamim and Litton after some anxious moments cake-walked towards the target playing glorious strokes. Especially Tamim was in belligerent mood. Litton also was not way behind. With victory in sight Litton got out trying to reach another half century with deft touch on 48. Shakib joining his mate Tamim completed the sweet victory. It was only fitting that winning stroke came off his bat. Had he not shown commitment staying back for playing the match knowing that several members of his family are sick and hospitalized at the moment.
Hats off to team tigers for making the nation proud again with 72 hours left from 51st Independence Day.
BDST: 0839 HRS, MAR 24, 2022
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