Sabbir Hossain :
South Africa clinched the two-match Twenty20 International series 2-0 when they recorded a 31-run victory over Bangladesh in the second and final Twenty20 International Cricket match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday.
South Africa posted a massive 52-run victory over the hosts in the first Twenty20 International Cricket match at the same venue on July 5.
Opting to bat first, South Africa piled up a mammoth 169 for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 20 overs and then dismissed Bangladesh for 138 runs in 19.2 overs.
Bangladesh made a modest start with Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar putting on together 46 runs in the opening stand before Tamim Iqbal (13) was caught at the mid-wicket by David Wiese off Wayne Parnell.
Soumya Sarkar hit a quick 37 runs. His 21-ball innings was ornamented with six fours and a sixer. Soumya Sarkar was stumped out by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock off Eddie Leie when Bangladesh’s score was 55 for the loss of two wickets.
After dismissal of Soumya Sarkar, Bangladesh batsmen failed to build any notable partnership.
Eddie Leie, Kyle Abbott and Aaron Phangiso played the key role in demolishing Bangladesh’s innings. Leie, Abbott and Phangiso grabbed three wickets each at the cost of 16, 20 and 30 runs respectively.
Eddie Leie picked up the vital wickets of Bangladesh. Thus Leie was adjudged the Man of the Match.
One-down Shakib Al Hasan (8) was caught at the long-on by Rilee Rossouw off Aaron Phangiso when Bangladesh’s total was 69 for the loss of three wickets.
Sabbir Rahman (1) was caught at the deep mid-wicket by David Miller off Eddie Leie when the hosts’ score was 82 for the loss of four wickets.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim (19) was caught at the short cover by Rossouw off Eddie Leie when Bangladesh’s score was 82 for the loss of five wickets.
Nasir Hossain returned to the pavillion before he could open his account. Nasir was caught at the cover by Rossouw off Phangiso when the hosts’ total was 82 for the loss of six wickets.
Debutante Rony Talukdar hit a fine 21 from 22 balls before he was bowled out by Kyle Abbott when Bangladesh’s score was 137 for the loss of nine wickets.
Earlier, Liton Das (10) was caught at the long-on by David Wiese off Phangiso when the home side’s total was 103 for the loss of seven wickets.
Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza entertained the spectators scoring 17. He played just eight balls hitting two sixes before he was bowled out by Abbott when Bangladesh’s score was 125 for the loss of eight wickets.
Then Mustafizur Rahman was bowled out by Abbott for a duck when Bangladesh’s innings came to an end. South Africa made a formidable start with Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers. The two openers put on 95 runs in the opening stand.
Kock hit the day’s highest 44. His 31-ball worthy innings was studded with four fours and two sixes. Kock was caught at the mid-wicket by Sabbir Rahman off Arafat Sunny. After departure of Kock, JP Duminy came at the crease but his innings was short-lived as he was caught by Shakib Al Hasan off Nasir Hossain for 6 when the Proteas’ total was 102 for the loss of two wickets.
Then AB de Villiers was caught behind by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim off Nasir Hossain when South Africa’s score was 102 for the loss of three wickets.
Villiers hit a fine 40 from 34 balls including six fours.
After departure of Villiers, Faf du Plessis (16) was caught by Mushfiqur Rahim off Mustafizur Rahman when South Africa’s total was 136 for the loss four wickets. Plessis was adjudged the Man of the Series.
David Miller remained unbeaten with 30 runs. His 28-ball knock had two fours and a six. Rilee Rossouw remained unbeaten with 19. He hit two sixes and one four in his six-ball innings.
Nasir Hossain bagged a pair of wickets in lieu of 26 runs while Arafat Sunny and Mustafizur Rahman got one wicket each for 31 and 34 runs respectively.
