JOHANNESBURG: Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took 5-39 as South Africa cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the second One-day International at The Wanderers on Sunday to square the three-match series.

Bangladesh chose to bat, but after a poor start could only manage 194 for nine in their 50 overs. The home side had no trouble chasing down the target, which they reached with 76 balls to spare.

They earned 10 points on the ICCs World Cup Super League table, where South Africa are battling to break into the top eight to automatically qualify for the tournament in India next year.

Bangladesh collapsed to 34 for five as the home seamers got exaggerated bounce out of the surface and caught the edge with regularity.

Rabada was particularly destructive, but when South Africa lost their third seamer, Wayne Parnell, to a hamstring injury early in his spell, it opened an end for the visitors.

Afif Hossain (72 from 107 balls) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (38 from 49 balls) put on 86 for the seventh wicket to bring respectability to the score, but it was well below par at a venue famous for high-scoring games.

That was proven by opener Quinton de Kock as he smashed 62 from 41 balls in the home side’s reply and Kyle Verreynne (58 not out from 77 balls) led South Africa to an easy win.

Bangladesh were victorious in the first game by 38 runs on Friday. The series decider will be played at Centurion Park in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH:

Tamim Iqbal c Maharaj b Ngidi 1

Litton Das c De Kock b Rabada 15

Shakib Al Hasan c Verreynne b Rabada 0

Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Parnell 11

Yasir Ali c Maharaj b Rabada 2

Mahmudullah c Malan b Shamsi 25

Afif Hossain c Bavuma b Rabada 72

Mehidy Hasan c Malan b Rabada 38

Taskin Ahmed not out 9

Shoriful Islam c sub (Markram) b Van der Dussen 2

Mustafizur Rahman not out 2

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-2, NB-2, W-8) 17

TOTAL (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 194

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-7 (Tamim), 2-8 (Shakib), 3-23 (Litton), 4-34 (Yasir), 5-34 (Mushfiqur), 6-94 (Mahmudullah), 7-180 (Afif), 8-181 (Mehidy), 9-188 (Shoriful).

BOWLING: Ngidi 10-2-34-1 (3w), Rabada 10-0-39-5 (3w), Parnell 2.5-0-6-1, Bavuma 6.1-0-22-0, Shamsi 10-1-26-1, Maharaj 10-0-57-0 (2nb, 1w), Van der Dussen 1-0-3-1.

SOUTH AFRICA:

J. Malan b Mehidy 26

Q. de Kock c Afif b Shakib 62

K. Verreynne not out 58

T. Bavuma c Shoriful b Afif 37

H. van der Dussen not out 8

EXTRAS (W-4) 4

TOTAL (for three wickets, 37.2 overs) 195

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-86 (Malan), 2-94 (De Kock), 3-176 (Bavuma).

BOWLING: Shoriful 4-0-29-0, Taskin 4-0-41-0 (1w), Mehidy 10-0-56-1 (1w), Mustafizur 3-0-13-0 (2w), Shakib 10-2-33-1, Afif 5-0-15-1, Mahmudullah 1.2-0-8-0.

DID NOT BAT: D. Miller, W. Parnell, K. Rabada, K. Maharaj, L. Ngidi, T. Shamsi.

RESULT: South Africa won by seven wickets.

UMPIRES: Marais Erasmus and Adrian Holdstock (Both South Africa).

TV UMPIRE: Allahudien Paleker (South Africa).

MATCH REFEREE: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe).

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2022