Bangladesh knocked out of T20 World Cup by powerful Proteas

Bangladesh suffered their fourth straight defeat in the Super 12s of the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup. They were beaten by six wickets on Tuesday by a dominant South Africa side who notched up their third win in the tournament. 

Bangladesh- who were playing a T20 World Cup game without Shakib Al Hasan- were blown away by South Africa's pace battery and couldn't manage to score more than 84 batting first. Taskin Ahmed bowled his heart out but 84 was never going to be a defendable score.

Bangladesh top-order had simply no answers to the pace and swing of Kagiso Rabada. The right-arm quick broke the backbone of Bangladesh batting line-up inside the powerplay. Rabada struck twice in the 4th over of Bangladesh's innings. Mohammad Naim was his first victim. 

Soumya Sarkar got an inswinging yorker first up and the Protea fielders appealed for a leg-before which the on-field umpire turned down. South Africa made the best use of DRS and the decision was overturned.

Rabada came back in the next over to bowl the hat-trick ball. Mushfiqur Rahim survived it but the extra bounce Rabada extracted from the pitch got the better of him a couple of balls later. Bangladesh were reduced to 26 for three in the powerplay and they could never recover from there.

South Africa continued to blow the Bangladeshi batters away with high pace. Anrich Nortje, who has been sensational throughout the competition, got the ball to rise from short length and Aiden Markram took the catch as the ball went up in the air off Mahmudullah's gloves. The Bangladesh skipper reviewed it but the decision stood. Mahmudullah made three off nine balls.

Afif Hossain perished right after Mahmudullah's dismissal, cleaned up by Dwaine Pretorius.

Liton Das, who occupied one end for a long time, was sent back by an absolute beauty bowled by Tabraiz Shamsi. Liton scored 24 off 36. Bangladesh were 45 for six then in the 12th over.

Mahedi Hasan, the Bangladesh number eight, top-scored with 27 off 25 balls. He played some delightful strokes. Mahedi played Shamsi particularly well, hitting the left-arm wrist spinner for a four and a six. 

Bangladesh were bundled out for a paltry 84, their third lowest total in T20 World Cups. Nortje, Rabada picked up three wickets apiece while Shamsi got one. 

Only three Bangladeshi batters- Mahedi, Liton and Shamim Hossain- could reach double figures and four of them couldn't open their accounts. 

Chasing a moderate score, the Proteas had to work harder than they expected  thanks to a fabulous four-over spell bowled by Taskin Ahmed. He swung the ball prodigiously, asked a lot of questions and unsettled the South African top-order. 

Reeza Hendricks was pinned leg before by Taskin in the very first over. Hendricks was beaten by the inward seam movement. 

Quinton de Kock hit Mahedi for two boundaries in the fifth over but the off-spinner came back strongly. de Kock was deceived by the clever change of pace from Mahedi. 

Taskin's second victim was Aiden Markram who fended the ball to Naim at wide slip and South Africa were in a spot of bother at 33 for three in the sixth over. Taskin returned a superb bowling figure of two for 18 in four overs.  

Skipper Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen ensured they kept their wickets intact until the 13th over and when the latter got out courtesy of a terrific diving catch by Shoriful Islam, South Africa were almost home.

The Proteas got over the line with 39 balls remaining. Bavuma was unbeaten on 31 off 28.

Rabada was named the player of the match.