T20 World Cup 2022: Rilee Rossouw, Anrich Nortje shine as South Africa hammer Bangladesh by 104 runs

South Africa thumped Bangladesh by 104 runs in a disappointingly one-sided T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 encounter at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Thursday, October 27.

Batting first after winning the toss in the Group 2 clash, the Proteas posted 205/5 as Rilee Rossouw clobbered his second T20I hundred in as many innings. Anrich Nortje (4/10) and Tabraiz Shamsi (3/20) then starred with the ball for South Africa as Bangladesh were skittled out for 101 in 16.3 overs.

Chasing a massive target of 206, Bangladesh crumbled to 47/4 in the powerplay. The openers got off to a confident start as Najmul Hossain Shanto hit a four off Kagiso Rabada in the first over and Soumya Sarkar followed it up with consecutive sixes. However, the entertainment was all too brief. Sarkar was caught behind off Nortje for 15, looking to slash a full ball across the line. In the same over, he cleaned up Shanto (9) with a pacy delivery.

Nortje had a third when he trapped Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan (1) leg-before. The left-handed batter shuffled across his stumps and looked to clip a full ball, but failed to connect. In the last over of the powerplay, Bangladesh lost their fourth when Afif Hossain (1) chipped Rabada to mid-off.

Bangladesh's innings continued to crumble as there was no resistance from the middle and lower order. Mehidy Hasan Miraz (11) miscued Shamsi to long-off; Mosaddek Hossain (0) was stumped as he gave Keshav Maharaj the charge but missed the ball. Nurul Hasan (2) then slog-swept Shamsi to fine leg. The left-arm spinner picked up his third scalp when Litton Das (34) also fell to the slog-sweep.

A direct hit from Rabada accounted for the wicket of Hasan Mahmud (0). The winning moment for South Africa arrived when Nortje knocked over Taskin Ahmed for 10.

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Rilee Rossouw smashes ton as South Africa post 205/5

Rossouw scored a terrific 109 off 56 balls as South Africa put up 205/5 after winning the toss and batting first against Bangladesh. The Proteas lost out-of-form skipper Temba Bavuma (2) cheaply yet again as the batter poked at an away-going delivery from Taskin. However, Rossouw and Quinton de Kock (63 off 38) added 168 runs for the second wicket, the highest for South Africa in a T20 World Cup match, to put the batting side on top.

Like in the last game against Zimbabwe, De Kock went berserk at the start again. In the third over, he slammed Taskin for two fours and a six, helped by a couple of no-balls. Rossouw then hammered Mahmud for a six down the ground and a four to deep backward square leg.

Two more maximums followed off his bat in the next over bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Despite losing Bavuma, South Africa had a splendid powerplay, reaching 63/1. Rossouw raced to his 50 off 30 balls with a single off Mustafizur Rahman in the 10th over of the innings.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib introduced himself into the attack after the drinks break. Rossouw clobbered him for 4,6,6 off consecutive deliveries. To make matters worse for the bowling side, five penalty runs were added to South Africa's total as wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan moved from his position while Shakib was running in to bowl.

The big hits continued as De Kock too brought up his 50 by smashing Mahmud for a six over midwicket. Taskin’s day then got worse as he conceded 23 runs in the 14th over. De Kock and Rossouw combined to slam him for a six and three fours. There was a no-ball and a dropped catch in there as well.

The massive second-wicket stand was broken when De Kock miscued an attempted big hit from Afif Hossain to long-off. Tristan Stubbs then perished for 7 to Shakib, caught at deep midwicket. Rossouw then brought up his second consecutive T20I ton, punching the Bangladesh skipper for a single.

Looking for quick runs, he fell in the penultimate over, caught at cover off Shakib. Mahmud then bowled a good last over, conceding only seven and dismissing Aiden Markram (10), as Bangladesh finished reasonably well after being pounded for most of the innings. It was too little too late, though.