Bangladesh fails to chase low target against South Africa

Bangladesh nearly secured their first-ever T20 victory against South Africa in New York on Monday, ultimately falling short by a mere four runs in their second match of the ongoing T20 World Cup.

Despite losing all eight previous encounters with South Africa, Bangladesh came within a whisker of breaking their duck and securing their second World Cup win.

However, a spectacular catch by South African captain Aiden Markram denied them a rare triumph. Mahmudullah Riyad's shot off a full-toss by Keshav Maharaj sailed towards the boundary, but Markram's outstretched hand intervened.

Needing 11 runs in the final over to achieve the historic win, Bangladesh faltered. Keshav Maharaj bowled a wide on the first delivery but conceded just three runs and took a crucial wicket in the subsequent three balls. Despite needing six runs off the last two balls, Bangladesh could not deliver, reports UNB.

Before Markram’s second-last-ball catch, Bangladesh lost Towhid Hirdoy for 37— Bangladesh’s best scorer in the match. Had he lasted a bit longer, the result of the match would have been different. His dismissal to Kagiso Rabada was among the turning points of the match.

Bangladesh started cautiously, scoring only one run in the first over. Tanzid Hasan Tamim provided a brief glimmer of hope with two fours, but his innings was cut short by Kagiso Rabada, who dismissed him with an angled delivery that kissed the bat and found its way to the wicketkeeper.

Regular wickets and a slow scoring rate hampered Bangladesh's progress. Mahmudullah held one end securely, keeping the scoreboard ticking, but he could not see the team through to victory.

Bangladesh ended their innings at 109 for seven, succumbing to a narrow four-run defeat.

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers, led by last-minute World Cup squad addition Tanzim Hasan Sakib, showcased a masterful performance on a pitch known to favor bowlers. South Africa were restricted to a modest 113 for six wickets in their 20 overs after electing to bat first.

Sakib delivered a remarkable spell, claiming three wickets for 18 runs in four overs. He cleaned up the top order for South Africa, including Reeza Hendricks and Tristan Stubbs for ducks.