Rabada, Mulder, Maharaj leave Bangladesh reeling

Kagiso Rabada claimed his 300th test wicket as Bangladesh crumbled to 60 for six wickets in the opening session of the first test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.

In what was an outstanding session for the Proteas, Rabada and fellow paceman Wiaan Mulder bowled superbly to take five of the six wickets to fall with Mulder claiming the first three wickets (3/22 in eight overs), Rabada the next two (2/16 in eight overs) and then, just before lunch, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj trapped Mehidy Hasan Miraz leg before wicket.

Kagisa Rabada becomes the fastest to 300 Test wickets (by balls bowled) ⚡

11,817 - Rabada
12,602 - Waqar Younis
12,605 - Dale Steyn
13,672 - Allan Donald
13,728 - Malcolm Marshall pic.twitter.com/bluHDLL4Yi

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 21, 2024

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first, a decision that South Africa’s captain, Aiden Markram, would have opted for as well. As it turned out, the pitch was bowler-friendly right from the start with the excellent Mulder, in particular, swinging the ball through the air in hazy, humid conditions and gaining movement off the seam as well.

Mulder struck with the fourth ball of his first over as opener Shadman Islam drove at a full, wide delivery, edging it straight to Markram at slip. In his next over, Mulder should have had Mominal Haq leg before but the ball-tracking technology was not working and the umpire’s initial not-out decision had to be adhered to. Haque then clipped the next ball for four but succumbed immediately afterwards, edging through to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.

Kagiso Rabada hits the 300 wickets mark 💥

📺 Stream #BANvSA on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/kRBtIr0x82

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 21, 2024

Mulder then claimed his third victim in his third over as Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto got a leading edge to an attempted turn to leg, lobbing the ball to Maharaj at wide mid-off.

Rabada then joined the party as he began his second spell as he spectacularly ripped out the off and middle stumps of Mushfiqur Rahim as he speared a delivery between his bat and pad. The great paceman then got extra bounce and seam movement to induce a thick edge from Litton Das that Tristan Stubbs flinging himself high to his left at gully – brilliantly held onto.

Maharaj, who extracted prodigious turn at times, then completed a sensational morning for the South Africans by trapping Mehidy Hasan Miraz leg before with his “slider”.

BANGLADESH: Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (capt), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton, Matthew Breetzke, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Piedt