Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-Kagiso Rabada lit up a gloomy evening in Mirpur on Friday with a hat-trick in his six-wicket haul on debut.
He now holds the record for best bowling figures on ODI debut, and the best ODI bowling figures for a South African, reports ESPNcricinfo.
The visiting captain Hashim Amla, while not expecting Rabada to strike another six-for, will want the bowler as well as the rest of the young players to do enough to complete a series win on Sunday.
South Africa completed their eight-wicket win through a strong, unbroken 99-run third wicket stand between Rilee Rossouw and Faf du Plessis.
Amla later said the pair made a tough situation look easy. South Africa are brutal opponents for lower-ranked sides and Bangladesh are finding that out despite their own recent form.
But the home side’s troubles seem more tactical in nature, although captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said that their strategy of using eight batsmen was a confidence issue.
For the first time since December 2011, Bangladesh were bowled out for less than 200 when batting first in an ODI. Their batting form was not all that good even in the India series, but they managed to get the job done.
South Africa did not give Bangladesh much of a chance to fight back after Rabada’s hat-trick and that is where the home side are behind. South Africa never give up, and in the second ODI, Bangladesh should be be prepared to put up a fight, something they have failed to do in the series so far.
FORM GUIDE
BANGLADESH: LLWWW
SOUTH AFRICA: WLWWL
PLAYERS TO WATCH
With his team not doing well, much of the focus will be how Mashrafe Mortaza marshals his resources and inspires the group.
He also has to bowl well and ensure South Africa do not get away to a quick start.
A hat-trick and six-for on ODI debut has made Kagiso Rabada into an overnight sensation.
He will be exciting to watch in the second ODI, particularly with the pace he generates off the slow pitches in Mirpur.
TEAM NEWS
If Bangladesh stick to their eight-batsmen strategy, then there isn’t much need of a change.
If they do revert back to five bowlers, either of Arafat Sunny or Rubel Hossain will likely be picked in the XI.
BANGLADESH (POSSIBLE): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Litton Das, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Nasir Hossain, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza 10 Jubair Hossain, 11 Mustafizur Rahman
After their eight-wicket win, South Africa will look to continue in the same vein, which means changes in the XI are unlikely.
SOUTH AFRICA (POSSIBLE): 1 Hashim Amla (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Rilee Rossouw, 5 David Miller, 6 JP Duminy 7 Farhaan Behardien, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Kyle Abbott, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran Tahir
PITCH AND CONDITIONS
Rabada said the first ODI wicket looked to have a bit more grass than the T20s.
The second ODI wicket too is unlikely have turn and will continue to be a dull surface. Rain has again been forecast, but not in the evening.
STATS AND TRIVIA
Kagiso Rabada became the second bowler after Taijul Islam to take a hat-trick on debut.
They both did it at the Shere Bangla National Stadium and both from the same end.
Shakib Al Hasan is the first batsman to score more than 2,000 runs at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. He reached the mark when he was on 14 in the first ODI.
QUOTES
“Against India and Pakistan we played unbelievably well. If we can play like that we can win against South Africa as well. But we haven’t even been within touching distance of those performances or of South Africa. We hope to do much better in the second game.”
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza wants better from his team
“They are not going to go down without a fight. We know they are going to be up for a good scrap tomorrow [Sunday].”
South Africa batsman David Miller is not taking anything for granted
BBN/SK/AD