MIRPUR: South Africa triumphed over Bangladesh with a convincing seven-wicket victory in the first Test on Thursday, highlighted by a stellar performance from fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.
Rabada’s exceptional bowling saw him claim 6 wickets for 46 runs as Bangladesh, starting the day at 283-7, was bowled out for 307, setting a modest target of 106 runs for the visitors. With this match, Rabada reached the remarkable milestone of becoming the fastest bowler to achieve 300 Test wickets during the first innings, finishing with match figures of 9-72.
“It’s special,” said stand-in captain Aiden Markram, reflecting on the victory that was secured before lunch on day four and gave South Africa a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. This win also propels South Africa to fourth place in the World Test Championship standings.
“A pretty young group, or slightly inexperienced group, to come to the subcontinent and get a win is great for us,” Markram added.
South Africa’s Chase
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam was the standout performer for Bangladesh, taking all three wickets to fall in the second innings for figures of 3-43. However, he was unable to halt South Africa’s chase as they reached 106 for the loss of three wickets. Tony de Zorzi led the scoring with a brisk 41 runs off 52 balls, featuring seven boundaries.
Markram, who scored 20, was the first to fall, bowled by Taijul, while De Zorzi was caught trying to hit a big shot. David Bedingham also fell for 12, but Tristan Stubbs, unbeaten on 30, ensured there were no further complications as South Africa completed their chase.
Rabada’s Impact
“He has been a superstar for us for years,” Markram remarked about Rabada. “And to see all those stats pop up about him… it really proves that he’s one in a million, and we’re really lucky to have him on our team.”
Bangladesh struggled in their second innings, losing their last three wickets for just 24 runs within half an hour. All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the top scorer for the hosts with 97 runs, expressing his disappointment at missing out on a century. “Missing out on the century is disappointing,” he stated, noting that better execution of his plans could have altered the outcome.
Match Summary
- Bangladesh (1st Innings): 106
(Top scorer: Mahmudul Hasan 30; Bowling: W. Mulder 3-22, K. Rabada 3-26, K. Maharaj 3-34) - South Africa (1st Innings): 308
(Top scorer: K. Verreynne 114; Bowling: T. Islam 5-122, H. Mahmud 3-66) - Bangladesh (2nd Innings, overnight 283-7): 307
(Top scorer: Mehidy Hasan 97; Bowling: K. Rabada 6-46, K. Maharaj 3-105) - South Africa (2nd Innings): 106
(Top scorer: T. de Zorzi 41; Bowling: T. Islam 3-43)
Bangladesh has yet to secure a victory against South Africa in Test cricket. The second and final match of the series is scheduled to begin on October 29 in Chattogram.
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