T20 World Cup: Bangladesh pacers rock South Africa early in New York

New York, 10 June  — Bangladesh's pacers rattled South Africa's top order in their second T20 Men's World Cup match in New York on Monday. 

Tanzim Hasan Sakib, the right-arm bowler who had no confirmed place in the team until the day before squad selection, claimed three wickets in his three-over spell.

His first over yielded 11 runs and one wicket, while the following two saw him take two more wickets, conceding only one run in each. Taskin Ahmed also contributed with a wicket.

After the powerplay, South Africa stood at 25 runs for four wickets, with two of those dismissals—both claimed by Tanzim – being ducks.

Sakib, Bangladesh's most successful bowler in the first six overs, bowled with impressive pace, reaching speeds of 142 kph, and effectively mixed in slower deliveries. His early breakthroughs included the crucial wicket of Quinton de Kock, who bowled while attempting a pull shot, and a first-ball duck for Reeza Hendricks. The latter was a length delivery on the off stump that Hendricks missed while defending, resulting in the ball hitting the middle stump.

Bangladesh's bowling attack utilised a combination of pace and slower deliveries in the first six overs, often targeting a length outside off stump to challenge the South African batters. The pitch also offered some extra bounce, which the Bangladeshi bowlers sought to exploit.

The Bangladeshi fans, who had lined up to enter the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium hours before the match, erupted in cheers following these wickets. This marked Bangladesh's first international match at the newly constructed venue, located approximately an hour's drive from Manhattan.

With a capacity of around 34,000 spectators, the stadium was mostly filled with Bangladeshi fans from across the USA by the end of the first power play.