South Africa have 6 points in the bag and have a foot in the door for the next round. Bangladesh will be really disappointed as they have let it slip off their palms. Now, with just two points for them, the group D gets more interesting. That is all from this match. The next match is from Group C as Pakistan will take on Canada at the same venue. That game will begin on Tuesday, the 11th of June at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT). You can however join us early for the build-up. Till then, goodbye and cheers!
Aiden Markram, the captain of South Africa says that everyone was going to be pretty nervous in this sort of a final over finish and sometimes you get over the line and sometimes you don't but it makes for great entertainment. On his crucial catch, he says that it was a matter of a meter or two and reckons they got a bit lucky at times and on Maharaj bowling the final over, he says that it depends on the situation and the pacers had to bowl the earlier overs. Adds that the partnership between David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen and is happy to see them doing well at crucial times.
Najmul Hossain Shanto, the captin of Bangladesh says they were nervous but they were hopeful that Jaker Ali will help win the match but this things happen in cicket. Feels they should have won the match but tells South Africa bowled well in the last couple of overs. Mentions Rishad Hossain is very good, he works hard and is showing his skills, says they are lucky to have him.
Heinrich Klaasen is the Player of the Match for his gritty batting performance. Klaasen starts by saying that it feels good that the boys got over the line. Adds that the wicket isn't great for stroke-play but they had good information from David Miller about the wicket from the last game and managed to put on a decent total. Mentions he and Miller had a One-Day mindset and wanted to shift gears after the 15th over which unfortunately didn't happen. Ends by saying that they have got three games out of the way, winning all of them and will now look forward to the next stage.
...Presentation next...
South Africa have virutally registered their names in the Super Eight but by no means they have played their best cricket yet. They have had to be really clutch in all three matches. Today as well, they registered a very low total as the batters failed yet again. South Africa were 23/4 but then came the match-winning partnership between David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen. The duo added 79 runs but South Africa failed to get the required finish in the fag end of the innings. However, the bowlers stepped up, kept chipping in with wickets regularly and it was in the last couple of overs where they really showed the grit to get the two points. Keshav Maharaj, in particularly showed his experience in the final over.
Aiden Markram took a huge, huge gamble by batting first on a slow, soft pitch! He did talked about how difficult it is to chase down totals and how important are the last 10 overs in the game. The Proteas bowlers showed a lot of character to defend such a lot total. However, it was not easy going for them when Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah were batting. Bangladesh were reeling at 50/4 at one stage and were in similar position to South Africa however, Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah came to the rescue and put on a solid stand of 44 runs before Hridoy was dismissed. Bangladesh still had Mahmudullah out there and they bet on him to chase it down. Mahmudullah, in the back of his mind made the decision to target Keshav Maharaj in the final over but his plan got wasted as he hammered a low full toss in the hands of Markram. He fell and the onus was on Jaker Ali but he too failed to hit the winning runs.
The Streak remains intact! It's 9-0 to South Africa in T20s and Bangladesh have to wait a little longer to get better of the Proteas. We have witnessed yet another low-scoring thriller in this year's World Cup. South Africa have successful defended their lowest total. How were the nerves there by Keshav Maharaj? Bowling the final over with just over 10 runs to play with, he did get away with a few full tosses but Maharaj was just good enough to get things done for his team.
In over# 20
1
0W
1lb
0W
2
1
1wd
Keshav Maharaj 27/3(4)
19.6
1
Is that a no ball for height? No, it is fine and SOUTH AFRICA HAVE DONE IT! Keshav Maharaj lets slip of another delivery and ends up serving a very high full toss that angles quickly across the left-hander. The trajectory made it difficult to put away and Taskin Ahmed ends up slicing it away over the cover region for a single. The height is just about fine and South Africa have won by 4 runs and remain unbeaten in Men's T20Is against Bangladesh!
SIX RUNS NEEDED IN ONE DELIVERY! Taskin Ahmed walks out. Can he be the hero for Bangladesh?
19.5
W
OUT! CAUGHT! OH, WOW! That is some catch under pressure from the Proteas skipper but Mahmudullah will be livid with himself to have not got that one over the ropes. Keshav Maharaj serves a juciy full toss right on middle stump, Mahmudullah gets under it and lifts it high. The ball goes a mile up but doesn't quite have the legs on it. Markram moves to his left from long on and takes it inches inside the ropes on the run and over his shoulder as well. What a moment and that could be the knockout blow for Bangladesh.
19.4
1lb
NOT OUT! It will be just a leg bye and now 6 runs are needed off 2 balls. Keshav Maharaj spears the ball in full and around off stump. Rishad Hossain goes well across to the off side trying to slog it away but misses and gets struck on the pads. The ball rolls away behind point and they scamper for a leg bye. There was a huge appeal for LBW but it was turned down and South Africa did take the review. Nothing on UltraEdge and the impact is outside the line of off stump.
South Africa have taken an LBW appeal upstairs. No bat on it. Ball Tracking shows the impact is outside the line. Mahmudullah is on the strike now. Bangladesh one hit away.
Huge moment in the game. Rishad Hossain comes in and will be on the strike. 7 runs needed in 3 balls.
19.3
W
OUT! CAUGHT! Keshav Maharaj with a body blow to Bangladesh and not only is it a wicket but the new man will be on strike as well with Mahmudullah stranded at the other end. Maharaj flights the ball up and drifts it onto middle and leg, Jaker Ali skips down the pitch and looks to lift it over long on but doesn't quite get to the pitch of the ball and finds the fielder in the deep. Aiden Markram pouches it safely.
19.2
2
Poor cricket all-round! Keshav Maharaj with a full toss on the stumps, begging to be hit, Jaker Ali goes too hard at it and toe-ends it straight down the ground. The batters push for two but it isn't quite on as the fielder from tidies up but the throw at the bowler's end is wide and they do get the second run.
19.1
1
Quite quick and a bit short around off, Mahmudullah backs away to cut but gets an inside edge past the stumps and past Quinton de Kock as well for a single at short fine leg.
19.1
1wd
WIDE! Oh, the pressure! Tries to fire it in but spills it down the leg side and even Quinton de Kock spills it but they won't get the additional single.