11 runs were required in the last over with Mahmdullah facing, Maharaj kept his cool and made sure South Africa won their third game at the T20 World Cup.
With six points from three games, South Africa’s victory guaranteed them a spot in the Super Eight round of the T20 World Cup in 2024.
The Chase Story
Bangladesh could only muster 109 in their chase of a meek goal of 114 thanks to Maharaj’s double-wicket final over. With nine runs on the board in the second over, Bangladesh lost their opening batsman, Tanzid Hasan.
After that, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das (9) shared 20 runs from 25 balls for the second wicket before Maharaj struck to get rid of the latter.
As this was going on, Anrich Nortje dismissed Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan (3) in quick succession, bringing Bangladesh down to 50-4 in 9.5 overs. Shanto managed a shaky 14 off 23 balls.
Mahmdullah and Towhid Hridoy then made an effort to restart Bangladesh’s game with a 44-run partnership. Bangladesh appeared to be the favorites to win the match, with 20 needed from 18 balls, but South African bowlers struck gold to seal an exciting victory at the T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh had to chase 18 off 12 after Kagiso Rabada removed Hridoy with the opening ball of the eighteenth over and gave up just two runs in the over. Hridoy amassed the highest score for Bangladesh with a 37-run innings from 34 balls, featuring two sixes and two boundaries.
What happened earlier?
The decision by South Africa to bat first backfired, as Bangladesh’s bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib took three early wickets to reduce the batting side to 23-4 in the fifth over.
After that, Klaasen and David Miller (29), who was scoring 79 runs for the fifth wicket, combined to aid South Africa’s comeback.
With the help of three sixes and two boundaries, Klaasen played a grittier knock of 46 runs from 44 balls before being trapped by Taskin Ahmed in the 18th over.
As South Africa set Bangladesh a target of 114 to chase, no other batsman could reach double figures except for Klaasen, Miller, and Quinton de Kock (18). With scores of 3–18, Sakib topped the Bangladeshi bowling stats, and Ahmed claimed two wickets.
In the penultimate over, Ottneil Baartman conceded seven runs, and in the final over, he had to defend eleven runs.
With just six runs conceded and two wickets claimed, Maharaj expertly guarded the target, leading his team to the Super Eight round of the competition.
The left-arm spinner led South Africa’s bowling stats with figures of 3-27, while Rabada and Nortje claimed two wickets in their match at the T20 World Cup.
Look what we Predicted: T20 World Cup: South Africa vs Bangladesh Match Preview and Prediction