Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-South Africa's 52-run win in the first T20 could have left Bangladesh dispirited but there has been a good vibe among the home team in recent months because they have learned how to bounce back. What will irk them, though, is that this is the first time since November that they have lost the first game of a series.
It was South Africa's T20 captain Faf du Plessis who ensured victory after the visitors had a sluggish start. Rilee Rossouw also contributed at an important stage, adding an unbeaten 58 for the fifth wicket with du Plessis, who did not throw his wicket away despite occasionally struggling to time the ball, reports ESPNcricinfo.
Bangladesh were hasty in their chase and Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan need to execute proper shots in the next game. They were first hustled by South Africa's pace attack and later strangled by Aaron Phangiso and JP Duminy. The visitors will want more of the same in the second T20, in particular the verve shown by youngster Kagiso Rabada.
Bangladesh will also hope their bowling attack can once again contain South Africa, and that their batsmen can find the right blend of discipline and aggression.
FORM GUIDE
Bangladesh LWLLL
South Africa WWLLL
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny took the wickets of AB de Villiers and JP Duminy but did not finish his full quota of four overs. He had figures of 3-0-19-2 and will be expected to be accurate once again.
Despite the hot and humid weather, South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada bowled with a lot of energy and generated more bounce than anyone else on this pitch.
TEAMS NEWS
Legspinner Jubair Hossain, who was one of two players to go to training on Monday, could replace Sohag Gazi who went wicketless in his two overs.
BANGLADESH (POSSIBLE): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Sabbir Rahman, 6 Nasir Hossain, 7 Litton Das, 8 Sohag Gazi/Jubair Hossain, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Arafat Sunny, 11 Mustafizur Rahman
The visitors had left out Beuran Hendricks, Chris Morris and Eddie Leie for the first T20 and it is likely they will remain benched, unless South Africa have plans to hand the young legspinner Leie a T20 debut.
SOUTH AFRICA (POSSIBLE): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 AB de Villiers, 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 JP Duminy, 5 David Miller, 6 Rilee Rossouw, 7 David Wiese, 8 Wayne Parnell, 9 Kyle Abbott, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Aaron Phangiso
PITCH AND CONDITIONS
The pitch for the first game was slow and had inconsistent bounce. The surface for the second T20 may have higher bounce and aid batting a little more.
STATS AND TRIVIA
Shakib Al Hasan is now Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals, after he overtook Abdur Razzak's 44 wickets.
Having been bowled out for 78 in their 2011 World Cup game, Bangladesh have been dismissed for less than 100 by South Africa in two consecutive matches.
AB de Villiers opened in the first match, only the second time he has done so for South Africa in T20s
QUOTES
"We couldn't take opportunities that we created in the first game, so I hope it changes in the next game."
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza
BBN/SK/AD