Bangladesh –South Africa Third ODI Played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong.

Brief Score Card: South Africa: 168 /9 in 40 Overs (  JP Duminy 51, David Miller 44, Shakib Al Hasan 3/33, Mustafizur Rahman 2/24, Rubel Hossain 2/29, Mahmudullah 1/20,Mashrafe 1/29 ) lost to Bangladesh 170/1 in 26.1 Overs ( Soumya Sarkar 90, Tamim Iqbal 61*, Imran Tahir 1/37 )  by 9 Wickets

Bangladesh Won the Series 2-1

Man of the Match & Man of the Series: Soumya Sarkar

Match Summary: 
Glittering like real gold Mashrafe Squad achieved yet another landmark for Bangladesh cricket history. Bangladesh won yet another bilateral ODI series, the fourth in recent times, three of which were against Pakistan, India and South Africa.

In the rain-curtailed series decider at Chittagong Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, an all-round Bangladesh cricket recorded an emphatic win by 9 wickets. South Africa won the first ODI by 8 wickets, Bangladesh bounced back in the second winning by 7 wickets.

Bangladesh was very impressive in outsmarting strong opposition in all departments of the game -- bowled superbly, fielded smartly and batted like gladiators. Few personal and team milestones were achieved.

Bangladesh proved that its brilliant performance in the recent ICC World Cup down under was not a flash in the pan. The tweeting tigers are marching strongly ahead in ODI version of the came as they are now getting more opportunities of playing against major oppositions.  They are looking as truly invincible force to reckon with ODI version of the game-a fearsome competitor. With a major festival round the corner it was a precious Eid Bonus for adoring 160 million Bangladeshis at home and abroad.

Records Those Were Broken and Milestones Established
Several records were established, a few milestones were created. Bangladesh for the first time in its cricket history won a bilateral ODI series against mighty South Africans. In fact, the two ODI wins were the first in the bilateral contest. The only other win against South Africa was in the second round of ICC World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean.

Two Bangladeshi cricket superstars Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza reached the enviable milestone of 200 ODI wickets in the same match.

The ICC top all-rounder in all formats Shakib became the seventh player and the quickest in the elite group in reaching 200 wickets and more than 4000 ODI runs. The others in the elite group were Chris Cairns and Chris Harris of New Zealand, Shahid Afridi and Abdur Razzak of Pakistan, Jack Kallis of South Africa and Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka.

A pace bowler defying several major surgeries in his battered knees leading his team from the font also set his own milestone as a premiere ODI bowler of Bangladesh.

The 154 runs opening partnership between Tamim and Soumya Sarkar is new record at any wicket for Bangladesh in ODI against South Africa eclipsing the 137 third wicket partnership record between Soumya and Mahmudullah set only a couple of days earlier.

Bangladesh also for the first won an ODI series against a team after losing the first of the series.

Match Report:
The match started at Chittagong Stadium with the big worry of thunderstorm and rain interfering. The series was locked 1-1 with lot to gain for Bangladesh. Home grown boy Tamim Iqbal was desperate for redeeming as he was going through a lean patch after a purple patch in not too distant past.  Brilliant South African Hashim Amla was also going through a lean time and was expected to get back his sweet flowing best. South Africans were licking their wounds after a massive loss at Mirpur.

Amla won the toss and elected to bat. Bangladesh did it right in not changing the winning combination. The visitors brought in ace pace bowler Morne Morkel replacing Chis Morris.

Bangladeshi bowlers resumed from where they left off at Mirpur in the earlier match. Mustafiz demonstrated his natural ability of swinging and befooling South Africans with his cleverly disguised cutters. He also bowled at pace. Q de Cock was cleaned up in the third over by the boy wonder. With the milestone, in view Mashrafe brought his triumph card Shakib a bit early. He immediately struck gold removing du Plessis, Amla in quick succession. Mahmudullah accounted for Rossouw.  In between Shabbir could not latch on to a difficult catch of Amla off Shakib.

 World cricket has hardly seen great Amla struggling in batting in contemporary time against any bowling attack anywhere. At 4/50 in the 16th over, the visitors were huffing and puffing in dealing with very probing bowling attack and aggressive fielding. Anything that Mashrafe was doing with his Midas touch was turning gold.

Two left-handers David Miller and JP Duminy started the rescue mission. The heaven opened up the sky, dark grey cloud brought heavy downpour with the visitors in desperate survival situation. Capacity crowd most of whom were fasting braved the rain and waited for few hours in anticipation. Rain finally ceased and play resumed on a curtailed 40 0vers each match.

The hard labor of South Africa continued as Mustafiz kept harassing them with his high quality natural skills. Still the two “D” s David and Duminy were rebuilding the innings. Captain courageous Mashrafee brought himself in the attack. Shabbir took a blinder off Millers bat from a Mashrafe’s slower delivery making amends to his earlier lapse. It was Milestone setting 200 wickets for exemplary great leader. Mashrafe again made master strokes bringing Rubel and Shakib back in attack. Behardien struggled for a while. But on his day it is extremely difficult for much better batsman to keep out Shakib. He succumbed giving Shakib his third wicket of the match. Mustafiz and Rubel combined to continue harassing South Africans with pace and reverse swing. Rabada got an excellent delivery from Mustafiz. Abott fell to a toe crushing Yorker of Rubel and Duminy was picked off another out of the world catch of Super Shabbir. South Africa could reach only 168/9 in 40 overs.
 
For the visitors, the wicket appeared as a minefield. Like Mashrafe we do not like to embarrass a national cricket team and a nation with the term “Choker”.  But what one can say when such a brilliant batting unit can afford to let 175 do balls in a forty over match.

Bangladesh started cautiously as it was essential that Tamim gets back into form in front of his favorite home crowd. Brilliant Soumya impressed with every stroke he played. Though the South Africans tried to put a leash to free scoring Bangladesh openers yet the wicket from the activity of two Bangladeshi openers looked very different. Letting Tamim to settle Soumya took the responsibility of counter attacking. He was severe on Rabada and Morkel smashing them all around the park. Tamim soon joined the party and Bangladesh went marching ahead like a pair of gladiators using their sword mercilessly against all bowlers.  Even the South Africans in the commentary box could not believe whether Bangladesh and South Africa played on the same surface.

Soumya in his extra efforts of reaching his second ODI century got out for 90 scored in 75 deliveries. Each of his 13 strikes across the fence and 1 over it were beauty to the eye. We are not sure whether it is too early to draw any comparison but I saw the glimpses of greats – David Gower, Adam Gilchrist and Sourav Ganguly in his in his gay cavalier approach. We are sure if this boy is nursed well he along with Mustafiz and Shabbir will win many matches for Bangladesh.

Tamim remained unbeaten on 61 in 77 deliveries – a much-needed return to form. He again proved the old saying, “Form is temporary but class is permanent”.  With test matches coming soon Tamim’s coming back to form was essential.

Bangladesh had an emphatic win by 9 wickets with 13.5 of the allotted overs to spare. Perhaps the two ODIs that Bangladesh won back to back against South Africa would be ranked among their best ever. These were achieved after three humiliating defeats in two T20s and first ODI.

It was not one, two or three players. The entire team did their bit with ball, ball or in the field. Only three batsmen were required to contribute in the two wins of which Soumya was exceptional.  He deservedly won the man of the series with Shakib taking the man of the match. It was also great finding his bowling back in shape.
We have no reason to disagree that this team is a combination of matured professionals and rare talented youngsters. Add Taskin, Imrul Kayes, Mominul, Jubair and when returned Mohammad Ashraful back in the team. They will be a fierce competitor at any major ODI tournament anywhere.

Few of my friends suggested exposing Soumya, Mustafiz and Shabbir to IPL. I strongly disagree. IPL has infection of match fixing, bribing and other obnoxious activities .Rather there can all out initiative whether they can be sent to Cricket academies in Australia or South Africa for a while. A season or two in English league will also fine-tune them for two major upcoming ICC tournaments.

It is time Mashrafe and Skakib being considered for national sports awards a suggestion initiated by Nazmul Amin Kiron the moving encyclopedia of Bangladesh sports. Let us honor them when the sun is shining in their careers.

Let us also dedicate this win to innocent child Rajon who was inhumanly hacked to death by ugly criminals.

We hope this momentum will keep the team in good stead in the two tests against the number one test-playing nation South Africa. Meanwhile, let us have a happy Eid everywhere.

BDST: 0959 HRS, JULY 16, 2015
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