SOUTH AFRICA OVERCOME TENSE MOMENTS TO BEAT BANGLADESH

ICC 10th WOMEN's WORLD CUP - Match 29 –  South Africa v Bangladesh at Lords on 28 June 2026

Result – South Africa beat Bangladesh by 4 wickets
Points – South Africa 2(8), Bangladesh 0(4)
Toss – Bangladesh
Umpires – Kim Cotton, Eloise Sheridan, Anna Harris (TV)
Player of the Match – Marizanne Kapp
Match Centre Link - You can view the scorecard, watch highlights and engage more at Match Centre of ICC. The match can be accessed here. 

The penultimate league match of the 10^th T20 World Cup featured South Africa and Bangladesh at Lords. The Group A semi final slots would go to the last match. South Africa needed to beat Bangladesh. Their qualification would depend on the final match between India and Australia in the next match. An Australian win would ensure their semi finals spot while and Indian win ruins it. If NRR is brought into place with IND & SA tied at 8 points each, SA need to win by more than 120 runs or chase 120 in 9 overs to get past India in NRR.  BAN also had an very outside chance if they could win by a margin of 140 and chase 140 in 8 and IND lose by such margins to AUS. Given the probabilities, common sense dictated that SA would want to win big and BAN would want to sign out on a good note. The match being played at Lords added to the high stakes.

BANGLADESH INNINGS

PACE ACES
BAN won the toss and chose to bat. Taj Nehar replaced Dilara and joined Juairiya on the field. Marizanne (who went wicket less last match, and in search of her 100^th T20I wicket) opened the bowling for SA.  Marizanne opened the match in the milestone. She bowled a full delivery and Juairiya trying to hoist it over mid on missed it completely and the stumps were shattered. A first ball wicket set the tone for the Proteas. Marizanne closed the over for 2 runs. Shabnim charged in from the other end bowled a maiden which included 4 byes. Marizanne once again gave away just 2 runs and kept Taj & Sobana guessing. In her 3^rd ball, Taj should have been caught but the ball fell between Laura & Annerie with each thinking it was the other’s catch. Shabnim brought BAN its first boundary in the first ball of the fourth over. Sobana came down the track only to catch a thick outside edge that flew past the keeper for a boundary. Shabnim made amends in the last ball when she had Taj given leg before and the same was confirmed by DRS. Taj scored just a solitary run in a dozen balls. Sharmin joined Sobana and for the third over in trot, Marizanne just gave away 2 runs. Another outside edge, this time of the sixth ball of the sixth over, bowled by Shabnim gave BAN their second boundary. BAN closed power play at 23/2. The pace aces, Marizanne and Shabnim ensured that SA were strongly in control after powerplay.

NO BIG OVERS
Marizanne was asked to finish her quota in one go and bowled the 7^th over. She conceded 3 runs this time and finished a 4 over spell less than 10 runs, a gold standard for an opening bowler. Nonkululeko was brought in first change. Sobana finally found some relief with spin and swept her for a boundary in the 4^th ball, the first convincing shot of the day by BAN. Chloe replaced Marizanne as it was spin from both ends. Sharmin cut the 2^nd ball beautifully on her back foot to gain another boundary. Nonkululeko continued and bowled an over sans boundaries or extras. The three overs of spin bought 21 runs to BAN compared to seven overs pace where they scored 26 alone. At half way mark, BAN were 47/2 and the question was whether they would cross 100. Pace was back for the 11^th over and Ayabonga stuck to the basics and BAN could just get 4 more of it. Nadine was entrusted the 12^th over as it was pace from both ends. She conceded 6 in 5 balls before Sobana brought some life to BAN innings as she pulled the 6^th ball over deep square leg for the first sixer of the match. Ayabonga neutralized it all by giving no room or extra pace to the batters. She conceded just 2 runs in the 13^th over. Chloe replaced Nadine and kept it tight as BAN could just score 4 runs even after a wide ball in the over. Nonkululeko got a breakthrough in the 2^nd ball of the 15^th over when she had Sharmin’s stumps shattered by an outside edge. Skipper Nigar walked in and completed the next four balls with singles. Shabnim came in to close her quota and did it extremely well conceding only 2 runs. At the end of 16 overs with only the four death overs to go, BAN were 75/3. They had just managed 52 in the 10 middle overs losing one wicket. They didn’t get any big overs and their intent also seemed moderate. At this rate, even an 100 looked a non possibility.

A BETTER FINISH
Nadine was given the 17^th over and after a couple of singles, she claimed Sobana’s wicket. Sobana found a short ball and upper cut it to Nonkululeko who was little ahead of third woman and easily accepted the catch. Shorna, my only hope for BAN crossing 100 walked in. However it was Nigar who upped the scoring in the next over bowled by Ayabonga. With singles of the first two balls, Nigar spotted the 3^rd one early as widish and cut it between backward point and point for a boundary. Another couple of singles followed and Ayabonga closed the over with a fuller one on the legs. Nigar bent and battered it over deep square leg for a sixer. It was the first over in which BAN score crossed double digits. They were now just 5 short of 100 with 2 overs to go. Shorna had no option but to go big from the first ball. But she found a big edge of Nonkululeko and Shabnim had no qualms pouching it at short third. Nigar brought the BAN 100 when she slog swept Nonkululeko for a boundary in the 5^th ball. Ayabonga was to close the innings and started with a single. BAN  was lucky to get 4 leg byes next ball. A dot and a bye in the next two balls worked in favour of Ayabonga. However Nigar finished with flourish whipping the 5^th ball past covers for a boundary and holding her bat to the widish last ball to beat the short third for another boundary. BAN had scored 42 of the final four overs for the loss of 2 wickets and this was a much much better batting display by Bangladesh. South Africa would plan to chase it within 10 overs and help themselves with some momentum in case they make it to the knockouts.

SOUTH AFRICA INNINGS

ON COURSE FOR A COAST
Laura and Tazmin were on the crease for SA and Marufa opened the bowling. Marufa and BAN paid SA in the same coin when Marufa struck first ball. She bowled a lovely in swinger that swung its way through the bat pad gap of Laura to break the off stump. Laura’s poor run in the WC just got worse. Things went wide and weird for BAN in the next three balls. Marufa followed the beautiful delivery with a hat-trick of wides. She then closed out the over with 5 dot balls in succession. Sanjida opened from the other end and conceded just run a ball. SA like BAN found their first boundary in an unconvincing manner in the 2^nd ball of 3^rd over. Annerie found a thick edge that sped past the keeper for a boundary. Marufa bowled 4 dots in the over and kept SA batters at bay. Sanjida continued with dots before Annerie went on one knee and clobbered it to the stands for a sixer. Annerie whipped Marufa past short fine leg for another good looking boundary. Rabeya came to close the power play and Tazmin went on one knee to sweep one to fine leg for a boundary. SA were 40/1 after powerplay. Tazmin & Annerie looked set. The start was not a blazing one but with the target being small, SA were expected to coast along.

SPINNING IT THE BANGLADESH WAY
Ritu bowled the 7^th over and Tazmin greeted her with a flick past short fine leg for a boundary. Ritu came back well and conceded just 8 runs in the over. Rabeya has been largely impressive though she is less among the wickets. She consistently bowled back of a length as SA could just score 2 from the 8^th over. Nahida likes to begin her spell with a wicket and she did that yet again. She had Tazmin slog sweep straight to Marufa at long on. Dane Van Niekerk was finally on the field for batting. She began her comeback with a paddle sweep that fetched her 3 runs. Sanjida rolled back Dane’s comeback when she had her plumb in the last ball of the next over. Dane didn’t even review and walked back as the umpire raised her hand. And I wouldn’t want to miss it, Marizanne replaced Dane. BAN spinners always ensure a slowdown and SA at half way mark were 59/3. They required exactly the same runs in the next 10 overs. Nahida continued and gave just 4 runs in the 11^th over. Rabeya continued from the other end for another over devoid of extras and boundaries. Ritu Moni also  kept it to run a ball in the 13^th over. Annerie released the pressure in the 1^st ball of the 14^th over. She went straight over Sanjida’s head to find a much needed sixer. Annerie delicately cut the third ball and it seemed destined for four. However Marufa did a great job in the deep and cut one run. Nahida struck back in the 1^st ball of the 15^th over when she had Annerie nicking one to Nida. The umpire wasn’t convinced after the vociferous appeal. BAN duly employed the DRS which established a tiny spike in their favour. Nadine joined Marizanne and the duo dealt with singles for the rest of the over. Rabeya once again bowled a brilliant 16^th over putting Marizanne in all sorts of trouble. She conceded just a single. At end of 16 overs, SA didn’t even cross their team 100. At 92/4 they needed 26 from 24 and BAN spinners were churning a thrilling chase out of what was expected to be a easy one. The Indian fans were suddenly warming up to another probability for qualification.

A THRILLING FINISH
Ritu Moni conceded 5 runs in the 17^th over which had a chance for a catch and run out in successive balls. The nerves started showing on SA eventhough they had two best suited cricketers in the middle. Nahida was entrusted the 18^th & Nadine broke the shackles in the 2^nd ball as she rapidly went over extra cover to bring a boundary. Nadine played the next ball to point and the duo had a slight doubt in going for a run. Marizanne pushed and ran hard but Sharmin’s throw was quick and Nigar removed the bails a microsecond before Marizanne made the crease. Nadine back to strike two balls later hoisted Nahida over deep square leg for another boundary. SA needed 10 from 2 overs and Ritu was the bowler. Ritu conceded 5 runs in the first 4 balls. Nadine tried to pull the 5^th ball over square leg but miscued it. Shorna ran in from deep midwicket and took a brilliant catch. Ritu closed the over with dot ball and SA still needed 5 runs of 6 balls. Marufa had to close the innings. In the first over, she showed that she could do a Marizanne. I was wondering whether she could do a Sophie Devine. Chloe Tryon was facing the first ball. Chloe has a knack of finding the right runs at the right time. Even in the last chase against India, her first ball boundary made a lot of difference. However Chloe was more lucky than dexterous today as Marufa’s first ball found a thick edge and ran over to the boundary. In the next ball, Chloe heaved on the long side but the ball found the top edge and went past extra cover and it was enough for Chloe and Sinalo to run a single. SA overcame tense moments and finished with a 4 wicket victory with just 4 balls to spare. BAN once again showed great fighting spirit. With a couple of hard hitting batters and this same bowling attack, they can be a totally different unit. With Juairiya, Rabeya, Marufa and Shorna in early 20s and with lots of cricket left for Sobana, Nahida & Sanjida, I am sure they would keep evolving into a better and bigger team. As for South Africa, their qualification would depend on the result of the next match. Their co finalists of ODI World Cup held the key.

(Images Courtesy - Cricinfo/ICC)