Taskin Ahmed rips through South African batting
Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed ripped through South Africa’s batting, taking five for 35 as the hosts collapsed to 154 all out in the series-deciding third one-day international at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.
It was South Africa’s lowest total against Bangladesh, who had never beaten their opponents in South Africa before winning the first match of the World Cup Super League series at the same venue on Friday.
South Africa hit back by winning the second match in Johannesburg on Sunday and made a fast start on Wednesday, with Janneman Malan and Quinton de Kock putting on 46 for the first wicket inside the first seven overs.
Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan had De Kock caught at long-off for 12 and South Africa crumbled to their lowest total against Bangladesh.
Taskin, 26, produced his best performance since taking five for 28 on debut against India on debut in Mirpur in 2014. He bowled at a lively pace in three spells and troubled all the batsmen.
Bangladesh wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim was so delighted at taking a low edge from Kagiso Rabada for Taskin’s fifth wicket that he hurled the ball high in the air in celebration, seeming to hurt his shoulder in the process. He had to leave the field.
Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal said at the toss that winning a series in South Africa would be “one of our biggest achievements”.
(R.Lavigne--LPdF)