So close yet so far again as Bangladesh lose low-scoring thriller against South Africa by 4 runs

Heartbreak for Bangladesh yet again as they lost their second group stage match by 4 runs against South Africa in the T20 World Cup match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Monday.

Mahmudullah and Towhid Hridoy showed big heart but that wasn’t enough for Bangladesh to chase down 114 runs set by the Proteas. They managed to score 109/7 eventually falling four runs short.

South Africa have all but qualified for the Super 8 and this was the lowest total they defended in T20 World Cups.

The match went into the last over with Bangladesh needing 11 runs having Mahmudullah and Jaker Ali at the crease. Mahmudullah survived a run out scare but fell short trying to hit a maximum in the fifth delivery. Mahmudullah was faced with yet another test but this time he was caught at long-on scoring 20 off 27 balls. 

Chasing 1144 runs, Bangladesh lost Tanzid Hasan Tamim early. Kagiso Rabada bagged the wicket of Tanzid ( 9 off 9 balls). Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das steadied the ship for a while but they both departed soon after the powerplay ended. Litton fell prey to Keshav Maharaj in the seventh over and Shakib was caught at mid-wicket failing to deal with a bouncer from Anrich Nortje in the very next over.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto played a sluggish innings bagging 14 runs of 23 balls. Bangladesh were reduced to 50/4 in the 10th over. 114 seemed like a long way to go from there.

But Mahmudullah and Hridoy kept their calm. They slowly but steadily kept the scoreboard ticking. The duo added 44 runs for the fifth wicket. 

Mahmudullah could have been dismissed by Anrich Nortje in the 12th over when Marco Jansen dropped a tough chance at first slip when the right-handed batter was on 6. 

For South Africa, Maharaj picked up three wickets while Nortje and Rabada bagged a brace each.

Hridoy showed big heart hitting a few sixes against Maharaj before departing which had made life easier for the Tigers. The batter scored 37 from 34 runs hitting two fours and two maximums. 

Earlier, a disciplined bowling performance helped the Tigers restrict South Africa to 113 for 6 after 20 overs.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed gave the Tigers a flying start picking up four wickets inside the first five overs.

Sakib who conceded 11 runs in his first five deliveries of the innings, ended up with a figure of 3-0-13-3 after his first spell. He was well-accompanied by Taskin who also picked up a wicket in his first spell reducing South Africa to four down inside the powerplay.

Sakib began his wicket-fest by trapping Reeza Hendricks ( 0 off 1 ball) for LBW in the final delivery of the first over. He breathed fire in the next few overs and went on to make Quinton de Kock and hard-hitter Tristan Stubbs ( 0 from 5 balls) his prey. 

De Kock scored 18 runs from 11 balls before departing hitting one boundary and two maximums.

Taskin got rid of the Protea skipper Aiden Markram through a peach of a delivery. 

Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller got some sort of grip for South Africa for the fifth wicket. They started building slowly but Klassen finally broke loose hitting RIshad Hossain for two maximums in the 10th over.

Miller was gifted a life as Litton Das dropped a catch behind the stumps in the 11th over. The southpaw edged the delivery from Mahmudullah but Litton failed to hold on to it.

South Africa reached the 100-run mark in the 17th over. Klassen and Miller both started hitting a few boundaries and over boundaries, Klassen being the primary aggressor.

Taskin returned to bowling in the 18th over and provided a much-needed breakthrough by bowling Klassen out. The duo added 79 runs from 79 balls for the fifth wicket. 

Klassen was the top scorer with 46 runs from 43 balls. He hit two fours and three maximums.

Sakib and Taskin shared the first five South Africa wickets between them. Sakib picked up three wickets for 18 runs while Taskin bagged a brace for 19 runs.

Rishad, after conceding 28 runs in his first three overs, came on to bowl the penultimate over and picked up the wicket of Miller ( 29 off 38 balls). He conceded only four runs in that over.

Mustafizur Rahman bowled four consecutive dot balls to Keshav Maharaj in the final over before bowling a wide ball. He conceded only four runs in the 20th over to eventually restrict South Africa to 113/6. 

Mustafiz remained wicketless but gave away only 18 runs in his four overs. Mahmudullah too was economical with the ball in hand giving away 17 runs in three overs.