Bangladesh kickstarted their campaign notching a spectacular 119-run win versus South Africa at the Buffalo Park in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Defending a formidable 250, their highest total in an ODI batting first; Bangladesh had their spinners bowl out of their skins to skittle South Africa for 131 and take a lead of 1-0 in the series. This win marks the first one for Bangladesh since 2017 in ODIs versus South Africa.
South Africa won the toss and decided to bowl which meant the visitors were put to bat first. Shamima Sultana and Fargana Hoque started off the proceedings on an optimistic note negotiating with the South African bowling. The duo complemented each other perfectly and batted through the first ten overs breezing through.
However, Eliz-Mari Marx was the first to seek a breakthrough as she dismissed Sultana in the 15th over for a well-settled 34 and broke a solid 66-run partnership. The experienced Murshida Khatun joined Hoque at the crease with an intent.
The two stitched a commendable partnership and Murshida batting with a lot of purpose, Bangladesh looked in good stead. She struck 12 delightful boundaries and was the perfect partner to Fargana Hoque till she was dismissed by Delmari Tucker in the 27th over as the 44-run partnership came to an end.
With skipper Nigar Sultana joining Murshida, there was another delightful partnership in the making as they brought in 80 runs together till the former perished for a knock 38. However, with a late blitz of 27 coupled with Murshida Khatun’s 91; Bangladesh ended up with 250/3 in their 50 overs quota.
BANGLADESH TAKE THE LEAD
Not to be for the Proteas Women as Bangladesh take a 1-0 lead in the ODI series 🇿🇦🇧🇩#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #SAWvBANW pic.twitter.com/YmY7ZrZ9F6
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) December 16, 2023
The South African bowling looked toothless without their mainstays but with the debutant Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Delmari Tucker scalping a wicket each giving some competition to the Bangladeshi bowlers.
South Africa in return was off to a rough start as Laura Wolvaardt was dismissed in the 2nd over by Sultana Khatun and the next over saw Tazmin Brits fall as Marufa Akter got rid of her, the Proteas were 9/2.
Anneke Bosch and Sune Luus then ensured that further wickets did not fall in that passage of play and scored quick runs en route to their 41-run partnership but Nahida Akter got rid of the latter for 31. Khatun then got Nadine de Klerk for 1 and South Africa once again slumped to 64/5.
Even as Eliz-Mari Marx held one end but with Sinalo Jafta and Nonkululeko Mlbaba dismissed in the same over with a double strike from Fahima Khatun, South Africa was sinking deeper. The debutant struck three delightful boundaries in her knock of 35 but as the consecutive dismissals of Masabata Klaas and her dented South Africa’s prospects even further and they folded for 131.
It was a complete team performance for Bangladesh as their bowling stood up with Nahida Akter scalping three wickets, and with Sultana Khatun, Rabeya Khatun and Fahima Khatun pocketing two wickets each rounding up a memorable performance.
Bangladesh vs South Africa, 1st ODI: Brief Scores
Bangladesh- 250/3 in 50 overs (Murshida Khatun 91*, Nigar Sultana 38; Nonkululeko 1/37, Eliz-Mari Marx 1/43) beat South Africa 131 all out in 36.3 overs (Eliz-Mari Marx 35, Sune Luus 31; Nahida Akter 3/33, Fahima Khatun 2/16) by 119 runs.
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