Bangladesh have surged ahead at the death to post 314/7 at halftime in the first ODI against South Africa.
It was a relatively subdued start from openers Tamim Iqbal and Litton Das, but that was the partnership that set a strong base. They gradually began picking up steam and added nearly 100 between them, until Andile Phehlukwayo trapped Tamim LBW to give the Proteas their first opening of the day.
Keshav Maharaj delivered another two punches, as Litton and Mushfiqur were dismissed in the space of 6 overs. It was up to the seasoned Shakib Al Hasan and the relatively new batter Yasir Ali to rebuild and step on the gas.
After a quiet few overs, Shakib opened up, hitting a maximum off Phehlukwayo. Yasir followed suit in the very next over, and this set the tone for a swashbuckling 115-run stand that would dramatically change the course of the innings.
Both players departed with 8 overs left, but cameos from Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, and Mehedi Hasan Miraz ensured that the visitors would comfortably cross the 300 mark. It certainly is a formidable total at Centurion. And with the two-paced nature of this surface, the spinners might be key since the ball kept low fairly often during Maharaj’s spell.
Do the Bangladeshis have sufficient runs on the board, or will the Proteas be able to hunt it down? Catch the chase in a few.
BAN 314/7 in 50 overs (Shakib 77, Yasir 50, Litton 50 – Maharaj 10-0-56-2)
