South Africa defend lowest total in T20 World Cup history

Keshav Maharaj, despite bowling three full tosses and a wide in the last over where Bangladesh needed 11 off 6, managed to see South Africa through by four runs and defend the lowest total in T20 World Cup history.

The win saw South Africa move to the top of the table with three wins and virtually seal a place in the next stage.

Bangladesh restricted the Proteas to 113/6 in 20 overs. Pace bowlers Tanzim Hasan Sakib (3/18) and Taskin Ahmed (2/19) reduced the South Africans to 23/4 in 4.2 overs.

Heinrich Klaasen (46 off 44) and David Miller (29 off 38) added 79 for the fifth wicket to help resurrect the innings. However, the going was slow on a tough pitch at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.   

Bangladesh started cautiously, but soon found themselves at 50/4 in the 10th over. However, Towhid Hridoy (37 off 34) and Mahmudullah (20 off 27) added 44 in just over seven overs to keep Bangladesh in.

At the time of Hridoy’s dismissal, Bangladesh needed 20 runs in 17 balls. A couple of good overs and South Africa had 11 to defend. Bangladesh managed four off the first two balls to bring the equation down to seven runs off 11 ball. But then Jakir Ali fell, and soon the set batsman Mahmudullah trying to clear the fence off the penultimate ball, a full toss, was caught brilliantly by Aiden Markram at long on leaving the Bangladeshis with a target of six off one ball.  

Bangladesh ended at 109/7 in 20 overs.

“You're always going to be nervous in a final over finish like that. It can make you mentally quite tired but it’s great to be a part of games like these,” said South Africa skipper Aiden Markram.

“We were a bit nervous but we were confident we could get over the line but unfortunately it did not happen,” said Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.  

Bangladesh, T20 World Cup, South Africa, Cricket