Of South Africa’s all qualities, the one thing that did not intimidate Bangladesh is their spin bowling. And this is where they faltered in the first Twenty20 international as the visitors recorded a crushing 52-run at Mirpur on Sunday. Bangladesh skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza said his batsmen’s inability to handle South African spinners proved to be decisive in the game that had no favourites until Bangladesh completed their seventh over.
Replying to South Africa’s 148-4, the Tigers were going neck-to-neck with the visitors despite losing both the openers for 13 as they reached 50 with almost equal pace before JP Duminy turned the game.
‘Chasing a target like this is possible in Twenty20 cricket provided you have a partnership going,’ said Mashrafee. ‘But we could not handle their spinners the way they handled our spinners.
‘There was turn in the wicket that probably put us into difficulties,’ he said.
Mashrafee said that they felt uncomfortable in the turning track that had been prepared considering the weakness of visitors against slow balls as they are playing on true wickets lately.
Bangladesh played Pakistan and India in seam bowling friendly wickets after coming from the World Cup where they also played on even pitches.
However knowing South Africa’s strength in pace bowling, the Bangladesh Cricket Board did not risk preparing the similar pitch and went back to making traditional wicket where ball comes to bat late.
The pitch also offered sufficient turn that can make even the most ordinary spinner a match-winner. It was like digging one’s own grave as Bangladesh were entrapped by JP Duminy and Aaron Phangiso, who shared three crucial wickets to break the backbone of Tigers’ innings.
Duminy and Phangiso conceded just 32 runs in their eight overs in a crucial time that completely threw Bangladesh out of contest.
‘May be we suffered because we are playing on a turning track after a long time,’ said Mashrafee. ‘The wicket was difficult for them too. But at least one or two of them carried the innings which we could not.
When pitch played a role in some of the dismissal, the same cannot be said about two openers, who gifted their wicket with injudicious shot.
Tamim Iqbal gloved a ball that was going down the leg while Soumya Sarkar miscued a pull shot of a bouncer that could have been easily left alone.
Mashrafee defended the batsmen saying that they took the risk to allow later batsmen play without any pressure.
‘I think they wanted to score 45 to 50 runs in the first six overs,’ he said. ‘Probably there was some risk into it but if it had happened things would have been much easier for us,’ he said.
‘They did well playing in this manner and it’s difficult to change style overnight. But we need to play according to the need of the day,’ he said.
-With New Age input
