Bangladesh stands at 43-4, confronting a probable innings defeat against South Africa on the third day of the second Test in Chattogram. Following their second innings collapse to 159, they trail South Africa’s first-inning total of 575-6. The series is currently led by South Africa 1-0, positioning them for a potential 2-0 finish after having won the first Test by seven wickets.
On Thursday, Bangladesh found themselves in a precarious situation at 43-4, facing an imminent innings defeat against South Africa during the third day of the second Test match in Chattogram. The team faced a daunting deficit of 373 runs following their poor performance. In the second session, Bangladesh were dismissed for a total of 159 and were promptly asked to bat again by the South African team, which had previously declared its first innings at 575-6. Currently, the series stands at 1-0 in favor of the visitors. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto remained the sole hope for the hosts, batting at 13 after Zakir Hasan was dismissed by Senuran Muthusamy’s stumping attempt, concluding the first innings at seven runs. The South African bowler Dane Paterson made an immediate impact in his first over, claiming the wicket of opener Shadman Islam, who managed just six runs after edging a well-pitched delivery to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne. Muthusamy followed suit, his first over resulting in the dismissal of Mahmudul Hasan Joy, whose attempted hit off a tossed-up delivery found the hands of Aiden Markram at slip. Compounding Bangladesh’s woes, Keshav Maharaj added to their troubles, sending Mominul Haque—who had contributed an impressive 82 runs in the first innings—back to the pavilion without scoring. Kagiso Rabada’s outstanding achievement of taking 5 wickets for 37 runs during the first innings of the match proved vital for South Africa. As the third day progressed, Bangladesh fell further to 48-8 in their second innings, unable to recover despite a brief resurgence from Mominul. Resuming play at 38-4, Rabada’s flawless delivery caught Najmul, then Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed without scoring, contributing to a rapid decline. In a critical over, Rabada struck twice more, trapping Mehidy Hasan Miraz and debutant Mahidul Islam Ankon for ducks. This performance marked Rabada’s second five-wicket haul of the series, following his exceptional 6-46 in the previous Test. South Africa’s first innings featured remarkable contributions from three batsmen, each achieving their maiden Test centuries: Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, and Wiaan Mulder. The South African team is now actively pursuing a clean sweep of the two-match series after their earlier victory by seven wickets in the first Test. Notably, Bangladesh is yet to secure a win against South Africa in 15 Test encounters.
The ongoing Test match highlights the disparity between the two cricketing sides, with Bangladesh struggling throughout the series against a dominant South African squad. Historically, Bangladesh has faced significant challenges in competing with South Africa, evident in their failure to secure any victories in 15 previous encounters. The current series, being a two-match format, has seen South Africa establish a lead with a decisive first-match win. The performance of key players, particularly bowler Kagiso Rabada and batsmen achieving centuries, has further cemented South Africa’s advantage and positioned them for a potential series win.
In summary, the ongoing Test match between Bangladesh and South Africa reflects the latter’s dominance, with Bangladesh teetering on the brink of an innings defeat. The solid performance by South African bowlers, especially Kagiso Rabada, coupled with several key batsmen attaining centuries, puts South Africa in an advantageous position, aspiring for a clean series sweep. The historical context of Bangladesh’s struggles against South Africa only amplifies the gravity of their current predicament.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
