Visitors Bangladesh will eye a historic series win when they take on hosts South Africa in the second and penultimate game of the three match one-day international series at the Wanderers in Johannesburg Sunday.
Bangladesh are leading the series 1-0 having won the first game by 38 runs.
The tourists with the win broke their 20-year long wait to register first victory in a bilateral series in South Africa and have also now won ODIs in every country they have played in.
The gem of the performance from Bangladesh was produced though a team effort which they will need to recreate to grab the rare opportunity – of winning a series against South Africa at their backyard.
There were contributions right from the top with the bat as three half-centuries from Liton Das, Shakib al Hasan and the newbie Yasir Ali guided Bangladesh to 314 runs after being asked to bat first.
This was the highest total in the format for Bangladesh in South Africa.
Later the bowling unit jointly defended the total restricting the Proteas to 276 in 48.5 overs.
Right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed was the aggressor getting Bangladesh early wickets while Mehedi Hasan Miraz made a sensational comeback in the later part of the game and finished with four scalps conceding 61 runs in nine overs.
This is the best individual performance by a Bangladeshi bowler against the Proteas in ODIs with the previous best of 4/62 belonging to Rubel Hossain.
Bangladesh are unlikely to break the winning combination for the second game.
This group has got Bangladesh three wins in the last four matches.
Miraz in a video message to the media Saturday emphasized on the hunger which they carried to the African nation and that still remains strong for the journey ahead to the ODI World Cup 2023.
Bangladesh with the win against South Africa extended their lead in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League now to 110 points with 11 wins in 16 games.
Bangladesh in the table are followed by England at No 2 with 95 points and India at No 3 with 79 points.
Top seven teams in the standing and hosts India will directly qualify for the world event in 2023.
“You cannot progress if you do not dream big. We carry a big dream to be honest. We aim to do something good. We want to win series away from home as well. We want to win the Asia Cup and the World Cup. We are focusing on how we can win series abroad and also the World Cup. We are following a process for that,” said Miraz.
South Africa on the other have will have to regroup to avoid losing their honor at home.
The hosts may look for a change in the opening partnership if Quinton de Kock is unavailable.
The Proteas possess one of the best middle-order batters in Rassie van der Dussen and an in-form finisher in David Miller.
The bowling attack is potentially very threatening for Bangladesh batters who are yet to play to their maximum potential in the condition.
South Africa can consider getting left arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi into the playing XI if the Johannesburg offers purchase to the spinners.
Bangladesh XI [probable]:
Tamim Iqbal (capt), Liton Das, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Yasir Ali, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Shariful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
