In yet another low-scoring match at the T20 World Cup, South Africa defeated Bangladesh by just four runs on Monday. This result is expected to reignite discussions over the fitness of the ground being used in New York.
Heinrich Klaasen top scored for South Africa with 46 runs in their 20 overs, but fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib returned a career-best 3-18. South Africa were limited to 113-6 in their 20 overs.
Bangladesh could only muster 109-7 in response, though, as South Africa secured their third victory in three Group D encounters.
Bangladesh initially faltered against the Proteas’ pace batteries, needing just 114 runs to win on the contentious drop-in strip at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.
After losing Tanzid Hasan (nine) to Kagiso Rabada, they were 50-4 at the 10-over mark. Anrich Nortje took care of captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (14) and Shakib Al Hasan (three).
Liton Das was sent back by spinner Keshav Maharaj for just nine.
But 38-year-old Mahmudullah and Towhid Hridoy, who top-scored with 40 when Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka in their opening match, calmed the ship for the Tigers.
Before Hridoy was dismissed for 37 off 34 balls after hitting two fours and two sixes, the two put up 44 for the fifth wicket.
Bangladesh needed 11 runs from the final over to be dismissed by Maharaj, despite taking seven off the penultimate over.
Seven off of four balls was that. Jaker Ali and Mahmudullah were both caught attempting large heaves over extended periods of time as the strain mounted.
With six required off the last ball, Taskin Ahmed could manage just a misplaced single.
Earlier, Proteas captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bat, as Bangladesh limited South Africa to 113-6 with Tanzim supported by Taskin’s 2-19.
At one point, South Africa was suffering at 23-4 until David Miller, who was celebrating his 35th birthday, and Klaasen struck together a partnership of 79 for the fifth wicket to save their team.
Before being clean bowled by Taskin in the 18th over with the score at 102, Klaasen scored 46 from 44 balls with two fours and three sixes.
After making an unbroken fifty-nine in the thrilling victory over the Netherlands, Miller was bowled by Rishad Hossain four runs later.
His 29-run innings, which included one six and a boundary, came off of 38 deliveries.
On Saturday, the Proteas had defeated the Dutch 12-4 on the same field.
Thanks to Tanzim and Taskin, they were four down for just 23 runs in the fifth over on Monday.
Playing in just his eighth Twenty20 international, Tanzim set the stage for the collapse by lbw for nought off the first ball, dismissing out-of-form opener Reeza Hendricks.
The second player out was star batsman Quinton de Kock, who was bowled clean by the 21-year-old for 18 runs out of a possible 19.
Before Tanzim claimed the third wicket of his first spell, Taskin uprooted Markram’s four stumps. Tanzim did this by forcing Tristan Stubbs to spoon a catch to Shakib Al Hasan in the covers without scoring.
Mahmudullah, a slow bowler, had his first ball bowled by wicketkeeper Liton Das, and Miller might have been out on 13.
