Men's World Cup T20 2024 South Africa vs Bangladesh, 21st Match

South Africa vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup. Welcome to Nassau County, Bangladesh. It’s a picturesque place to be—unless you're trying to score runs in the men's T20 World Cup. So far, it's been tough going, although India and Pakistan might find a way on Sunday.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77, and Ireland managed just 96. South Africa, considered one of the tournament favorites, won both of their games here but not as convincingly as expected.

Saturday's match between the Netherlands and South Africa was the first of four played in Nassau where the focus was on cricket rather than the pitch's unpredictable nature.

In the first three games, balls that landed in the same spot often behaved unpredictably, with inconsistent bounce. Add plenty of swing, seam, and an outfield that hindered boundary shots, and you have a challenging scenario for batters.

Even on the relatively calmer pitch seen on Saturday, bowlers had the upper hand compared to the high-scoring IPL games. This should result in a more balanced contest than previous T20 World Cup games between these teams, which South Africa has dominated.

Neither team's batting lineup has been particularly commanding so far, with David Miller's 51-ball 59 not out against the Netherlands being the only half-century by a player from either Bangladesh or South Africa. This bodes well for those wanting to see a competitive game rather than a run-fest.

However, for fans of Bangladesh and South Africa, home and away, the primary concern will be securing another two points for the Super Eights.

When: Bangladesh vs South Africa, June 10, 2 PM GMT, 10:30 AM Local, 4:30 PM SAST, 8 PM IST
Where: Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York State
What to expect: An improved but challenging pitch, and a slow outfield. The forecast is for high humidity, which could aid swing, and possibly a passing shower.
Head to head in T20 World Cups: Bangladesh 0 - 3 South Africa

Team Watches:

Bangladesh

Beating Sri Lanka by two wickets with an over to spare would have bolstered Bangladesh's confidence.

Tactics & Matchups: Like all teams playing in Nassau, Bangladesh will likely prefer to field first. They have a strong attack with match-winning bowlers like Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain.

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das(w), Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Jaker Ali, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman

South Africa

Winning both games at this challenging venue should boost South Africa's resolve.

Tactics & Matchups: The performance of their middle order—Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, and David Miller—against Bangladesh's skilled attack will be crucial.

South Africa (Playing XI): Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock(w), Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman

Did you know?

• At game time, Bangladesh will be one of three teams, along with Nepal and New Zealand, to have played only one match in the tournament.
• Rilee Rossouw’s 56-ball 109 at the SCG in October 2022 is the only century in T20 World Cup games between these teams.
• Anrich Nortje’s 4/10 in the same match is the best bowling performance.

What they said:

Najmul Hossain Shanto: "We will have to come back with a new strategy [against South Africa]. There is no other way than to play good cricket. If the batters can contribute, we will have something good."

David Miller: "We're playing pretty early in the day, so if there's anything in the pitch, you want to take advantage of that. But if you end up on this kind of pitch looking to chase 150 or 130, it can be a daunting task."

Squads:

Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das (wk), Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman, Mahedi Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Shoriful Islam, Jaker Ali

South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Ryan Rickelton, Bjorn Fortuin, Tabraiz Shamsi