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Maharaj and Klaasen star as Proteas edge Bangladesh in thriller

golf10 June 2024 18:27| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Keshav Maharaj held his nerve to calmly defend 11 runs in the final over to lead South Africa to a tense but thrilling 4-run victory in their T20 World Cup Group ‘D’ match against Bangladesh at the Nassau County Stadium on Long Island in New York on Monday.

South Africa chose to bat first and posted a seemingly modest 113-6 on the back of Heinrich Klaasen’s 46 but it proved to be adequate as Bangladesh slipped to 109-7 in reply to put South Africa in pole position to qualify for the Super Eight stage of the tournament.

Bangladesh had appeared comfortably on course for victory with 20 runs required from the last 18 balls with six wickets remaining but Kagiso Rabada (2-19) changed the tone and direction of the match by trapping top scorer Towhid Hridoy (37) lbw and conceding just two runs in the 18th over.

Ottneil Baartman (0-27) gave up another seven runs in the 19th over leaving Maharaj to complete the job.

Although he started with a wide he had both Mahmadullah (20) and Jaker Ali (8) caught by Aiden Markram at long on and even escaped with bowling two full tosses to finish with 3-27 from his four overs.

Rabada (2-19) struck early when opener Tanzid Hasan’s slashing drive was caught by De Kock and Anrich Nortje had both Najmul Hossain Shanto (14) and Shakib al Hasan (3) caught off mistimed pull shots.

KLAASEN TO THE RESCUE

Earlier Klaasen’s patient 46 from 44 balls helped South Africa recover from a perilous 23-4 to a competitive total in the now notoriously tricky batting conditions at this brand new venue after choosing to bat first.

Klaasen struck just two fours but took the grass out of the equation three times against the spinners before being bowled by a delivery from fast bowler Taskin Ahmed (2-19) which kept low.

David Miller added 79 for the fifth wicket with Klaasen contributing an even more patient 29 from 38 balls before missing a slog-sweep against spinner Rishad Hossain at the start of the 19th over.

Miller, too, struggled for timing managing just a single four and one six.

De Kock lashed a six in each of the first two overs at the start of the innings before another delivery from seamer Tanzim Sakib (3-18) kept low to bowl him for 18 from just 11 balls.

Reeza Hendricks was trapped lbw first ball by Tanzim while captain Markram (4) was bowled by a fine cutter from Taskin and Tristan Stubbs (0) pushed a slower ball which gripped in the pitch to cover.

South Africa play minnows Nepal in St Vincent in their next match while Bangladesh will still reach the next round with wins in their final two matches against the Netherlands and Nepal.

SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wkt), Reeza Hendricks, Aisen Markram (captain), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman.

BANGLADESH: Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (wkt), Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Jaker Ali, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman

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