A brilliant all-round performance from Bangladesh saw them power to a thumping nine-wicket win over the Proteas in the deciding ODI at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday to claim a historic first-ever ODI series win over the hosts in South Africa.
Having been set just 155 to win the third and final Betway ODI, the visitors were led from the front by captain Tamim Iqbal who struck an unbeaten 87 off 82 balls, striking 14 boundaries, as they cruised to the target with a massive 23.3 overs to spare, giving them a 2-1 series win.
Despite Iqbal’s fantastic knock the man-of-the-match award deservedly went to bowler Taskin Ahmed who ripped the heart out of the Proteas top- and middle-order with superb figures 5-35, to help dismiss the hosts for just 154 in their innings.
Defending such a low total the Proteas needed early wickets if they were to stand any chance of fighting back and it was almost delivered by strike bowler Kagiso Rabada in the first over, as Liton Das (48) cut a wide delivery straight to point where Keshav Maharaj dropped a regulation catch.
It proved to be a decisive moment as Iqbal and Das barely offered another chance as they set the chase up perfectly with a 127-run opening partnership, which swiftly put the Proteas out of the match.
Iqbal was the aggressor and showed his intent at the end of the powerplay as he hammered Rabada for four boundaries in the 10th over, three in a row to take Bangladesh past the 50 run mark.
A single off Dwaine Pretorius at the start of the 15th over brought up Iqbal’s half-century, with him then lofting Tabraiz Shamsi over the infield for four at the start of the 18th to bring up the century stand.
Das, who was playing the perfect backup role, was then on the verge of his half-century, only for him to try hit Maharaj over cover, but sent it straight to Temba Bavuma to be the only wicket to fall.
Shakib Al Hasan (18 not out) joined Iqbal and they eased their side home, with Al Hasan cutting Rabada behind point for four to win the game.
BATTING FAILURES
In the first innings, the Proteas were knocked over in just 37 overs after a superb bowling effort led by Ahmed and Al Hasan who claimed figures of 2-24.
At the start of play, the Proteas won the toss and chose to bat, getting off to a solid enough start thanks to openers Janneman Malan (39) and Quinton de Kock (12) as they shared in a 46-run opening-wicket stand.
Malan initially hogged the strike in the first six overs and De Kock was looking to get a move on with having just hit his second boundary, when he tried to take on Mehidy Miraz again, only to loft the ball straight to Mahmudullah at long-on in the seventh over.
Malan and Kyle Verreynne (9) added 20 to the score before Ahmed sparked a collapse that saw them slip from 66 for one to 83 for five.
He had Verreynne inside edging onto his own stumps and had Malan caught by keeper Mushfiqur Rahim before al Hasan joined the party, trapping Temba Bavuma (2) LBW, hitting him on the back thigh trying to sweep and Shoriful Islam then had Rassie van der Dussen (4) caught by Miraz.
David Miller (16) and Dwaine Pretorius (20) tried to revive the innings, but after hitting the only six of the innings Pretorius chased a wide Ahmed delivery and got a thick outside edge to Rahim, with the score 107 for seven.
Miller and Kagiso Rabada (4) both fell to the same combination as Ahmed picked up his fourth and fifth scalps, leaving the Proteas teetering on 126 for eight.
Keshav Maharaj (28) struck four boundaries as he helped add a vital 28 runs to the Proteas' score for the last two wickets, with Lungi Ngidi caught for a 14-ball duck to become Al Hasan’s second wicket and Maharaj run out trying to steal the strike at the end.
SOUTH AFRICA: Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (capt), Kyle Verreynne, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi
BANGLADESH: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Yasir Ali, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman