• Home
  • Cricket News
  • T20 World Cup Sa Vs Ban Underdog At Start Proteas Desperate To Sustain Hard Earned Consistency

T20 World Cup | SA vs BAN: Underdog at start, Proteas desperate to sustain hard-earned consistency

The buildup

There is no other team that have attracted more headlines for non-cricketing reasons than South Africa and similarly, there is no better side than them that have played like a team in the ongoing edition of the T20 World Cup.

They haven’t had a batting performance such as of Jos Buttler or bowling performances as of Pakistan or England so far in the tournament, but they have had just enough of good performances, collectively, as a team to stand among one of the firm favourites to qualify for the semi-finals alongside England.

Make no mistake, they were not the favourites to start the tournament as West Indies and England were the two sides expected to emerge of the Group 1 famously described as “group of death”. What they had come into the tournament though was good form, as a unit after a troika of series wins over the Windies, Ireland and Sri Lanka.

If the performances of behemoths such as West Indies and India have highlighted the importance of form in the shortest format and the tournament with such quick turnaround time, South Africa’s rise and rise in the tournament also underlined the need for good form.

They have seen one or two batsmen taking the onus of rising under pressure while the bowling attack has hunted in pairs and the Proteas are all but just one game away from the door of qualification, which will be nothing short of staggering achievement for them.

Their next opponent on the path of qualification are Bangladesh and they have had a complete contrast of a tournament compared to the Proteas.

They have been abominable in the field, timid with the bat and inconsistent with the ball to have any sort of impact on the Super 12 stage of the tournament. They had lost the first game of their tournament that kind of suggested the holes in their promises but the big stage of Super 12 has clearly ripped open all the faultlines in their side.

Now, they are already without their biggest superstar and are pushed against the wall just to salvage some pride as the race for the qualification to semi-finals has already finished for them.

Match details

South Africa vs Bangladesh, 

Match no.: 30, Super 12 Group 1

Date and Time: November 02, 02:00 PM LOCAL, 03:30 IST, 10:00 IST

Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Pitch details

The Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi has not been as tricker to bat as the other two pitches in the UAE and stroke makes on both sides should relish the true nature of the surface.

However, as this is a day game, the dew factor will be out of the equation and spinners will come in hand for the teams. Bangladesh spinners, in general, would have been considered a better exponents of bowling in spin-friendly conditions but the rise of Tabraiz Shamsi gives South Africa a sort of edge they rarely enjoy in spinning conditions.

There have been too many games this tournament that has been decided virtually by the flip of the coin but batsmen can trust themselves to get the chasing job done here in Abu Dhabi.

Team News

South Africa

There were injury concerns for South Africa as both the heroes of the last game—David Miller and Shamsi under the scanner, but there is no communication from the Proteas side which could imply they are fit to go.

If they are fit and raring to go, South Africa should not be looking to alter the playing XI and instead will be hoping for the return of form for Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen that will make their batting unit look stronger, both on paper and on the field.

Probable XI

Quinton de Kock (WK), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma (C), Aiden Markram, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi

Bangladesh

Bangladesh have been jolted by the injury to Shakib Al Hasan and they will have to rely on the other two experienced batsmen—skipper Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim to do the heavy lifting. 

Their coach Russell Domingo has confirmed that Shamim Hossain will replace Shakib and is likely to bat lower down the order putting greater onus on the likes of Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das and the experienced pros.

There were signs of Liton Das coming back to some rhythm and the Bangla Tigers would be hoping he will get his mojo and timing back.

Probable XI

Mohammad Naim, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das (WK), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (C), Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman

CE Fantasy XI

Quinton de Kock (WK), Mushfiqur Rahim, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Mohammad Naim, Dwaine Pretorious, Shoriful Islam, Tabraiz Shamsi, Nasum Ahmed

Captain: Aiden Markram

Vice-captain: Anrich Nortje

Discover more
Top Stories
news

T20 World Cup | India were unaware about the extent of Hardik Pandya's injury, alleges former selector

The series of allegations and blame games are coming thick and fast after India lost to New Zealand in their last game and now face the prospect of an early exit from the tournament. Hardik Pandya’s fitness was one of the major concerns for India coming into the tournament and former selector Sarandeep Singh has come down heavily on India’s team management for not having a clear idea about his injury and recovery. In an interview with Sportskeeda, Sarandeep Singh said that Hardik Pandya’s injury seems to be a major one as he is not bowling albeit showing clear eagerness to roll his arm over. He said that neither the Indian team nor Mumbai Indians—his IPL side, knew the exact extent of his injury and hence there is silence from players such as Rohit Sharma over his availability. "Hardik definitely wants to bowl, but since he isn’t, means his injury is a big one. He doesn’t go to the NCA, he treats himself to the Mumbai Indians staff. So nobody really knows and nobody is saying anything. The reason why Rohit Sharma is not able to say anything in press conferences is because even Rohit doesn’t really know," Singh said. Hardik Pandya had bowled in the nets before the game against the Blackcaps and he bowled two overs against them although India did not have enough runs to enforce any sort of pressure on the batsmen. No bowler other than Jasprit Bumrah could take wickets and Hardik Pandya’s bowling as the sixth bowler could not have come on a more insignificant occasion for the men in blue.

news

T20 World Cup | Former selectors question Chetan Sharma over selection of 'half-fit' Hardik Pandya

As India have suffered two heavy defeats in the ongoing T20 World Cup and are staring at elimination without making it to the semi-finals, the battle lines are being drawn by former cricketers and analyst over what went wrong for Virat Kohli’s men in the tournament. While failure with the bat and lack of penetration with the ball have been emphasised in nuanced analyses, personnel have also been under stern scanners. One of the biggest talking points before the selection of India’s squad for the tournament and also during the tournament has been the fitness and form of Hardik Pandya. Pandya did not bowl in the Indian Premier League and simultaneously lost form with the bat from the first phase of the tournament. Former national selector Sarandeep Singh has now questioned the claims made by the current chairman of the selection committee Chetan Sharma in which he had said that Pandya was fit and would be bowling a full quota of overs in the T20 World cup. He questioned the lack of transparency from the current selection committee and said that during his tenure, players’ availability and fitness were made public appropriately which he says has not happened in this case. He said that the all-rounder has found himself in a needless controversy and that it’s Chetan Sharma’s job to explain what happened to the squad and why he was picked without full assessment of his injury and availability with the ball. “Hardik Pandya’s fitness issues are being talked about for a while now, but why don’t you ask the selection committee about this? We used to answer all questions during our tenure – if someone was unfit or anything – everything used to be open. But why isn’t it the same anymore? Chetan Sharma addressed the media just once, and he spoke something strange and walked away,” Sarandeep Singh said to Sportskeeda. "When the chairman of the selection committee said he’s fully fit and he will bowl in the World Cup, so the chairman needs to be questioned now where is the fitness. He needs to say something – he is injured, he is not able to bowl, something. It’s unfair on Hardik as well, a quality player is stuck in controversy for no fault of his. If the injury is there, it’s okay, can’t do much about it.” Another former selector, Sandeep Patil, who was the chief national selector before the selection committee comprising of Sarandeep Singh, had questioned Chetan Sharma on similar lines. He had also fixed the responsibility on the head coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli for playing Pandya in the playing XI. “His (Pandya) selection in the XI is up to the captain and the coach, and only the BCCI will know about it. But basically, if a player is not fit, then it comes to the selectors. If he didn’t bowl in the entire IPL, the selectors should have taken a call. They should have asked for a fitness test before including him in the team for the World Cup,” Patil had said to Times of India.