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Bangladesh lose quick wickets to end Day 2 in Durban
Left-arm spinner Simon Harmer grabbed four top-order Bangladesh wickets to put South Africa in dominance on the second day of the first Test in Durban.
Bangladesh ended day two at 98 for four wickets in their first innings with opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy unbeaten on 44, along with nightwatchman Taskin Ahmed yet to open his account.
The visitors are trailing by 269 runs with six wickets in hand after bowling the hosts out for 367 in the first innings.
After a cautious start, Bangladesh lost three quick wickets in the last session of day two.
Simon Harmer, the left-arm spinner bagged four wickets conceding 42 runs in 20 overs.
Bangladesh scored 25 in the first wicket stand. After Shadman Islam fell for 9, Mahmudul and Najmul Hossain added 55 runs on the board.
From 80 for one wicket Bangladesh suffered a mini-collapse when they lost three wickets to reach 94 runs.
Najmul scored 38, Mominul Haque suffered a duck and Mushfiuqr Rahim added 7 only.
Earlier, Khaled Ahmed took four wickets for 92 to help Bangladesh restrict South Africa to 367 runs.
Read: Pakistan level ODI series with 6-wicket win over Australia
This was also the best bowling by any Bangladeshi pacer on the soil of South Africa. He surpassed Subashis Roy’s 3/118 in 2017.
South Africa began the second day with 233 for four. They added 134 runs more in their first innings losing the remaining wickets.
Khaled bagged the first two wickets of the second day removing wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder. While Verreynne posted 28 off 81 balls, Mulder suffered a duck.
Temba Bavuma, however, was firm at the other end of the wicket until Mehidy Hasan removed him for 93 off 190 deliveries.
In the last two partnerships, South Africa added 69 runs that helped them pass the 350-run mark.
Simon Harmer, the all-rounder, remained unbeaten for 38 off 73 balls.
Right-arm spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz scalped three wickets for Bangladesh while Ebadot Hossain bagged two.
Bangladesh are missing the services of Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal in this match. While Shakib is out of the team due to family reasons, Tamim missed this Test due to illness.
Pakistan level ODI series with 6-wicket win over Australia
Captain Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq smashed powerful centuries Thursday as Pakistan leveled the three-match series against a depleted Australia with its biggest ever successful run-chase in an ODI.
Babar made a blistering 114 off 83 balls and Imam scored 106 as Pakistan marched to 349-4 with an over to spare for a six-wicket win.
Australia had earlier made another imposing total of 348-8 after Babar won the toss and elected to field for the second game in a row. Ben McDermott’s (104) maiden test hundred formed the cornerstone of Australia’s strong total.
Khushdil Shah scored an unbeaten 27 off 17 balls and Iftikhar Ahmed (8 not out) raised Pakistan’s memorable victory with six balls to spare after Babar and Imam had dominated an inexperienced Australian bowling attack.
Travis Head (89) missed out on his second successive century while Marnus Labuschagne (59) and Marcus Stoinis (49) also played cameos to set up another challenging total for Pakistan after Australia had defended 313-7 in the first game of the three-match series.
The emphatic win broke Pakistan’s 10-match losing streak against Australia, which is missing several leading players and only had 13 fit players to chose from after the white-ball squad in Lahore was hit by COVID-19.
The imposing Pakistan chase eclipsed its previous highest successful chase in the 50-over format when it made 329-7 to beat Bangladesh by three wickets in an Asia Cup game at Mirpur in 2014.
Two days ago Imam’s century went in vain when Australia recorded an emphatic 88-run, but the left-handed opening batter ensured Pakistan did not slip up for the second successive time by featuring in two solid century partnerships.
Imam laid a rollicking platform of 118 runs with Fakhar Zaman, who made 67 before Fakhar was undone by Stoinis’ slower delivery and was clean bowled in the 19th over.
Australia’s understrength bowling attack cracked up against the brilliant strokeplay of Babar, who dominated the twin spin threat of Adam Zampa and Mitchell Swepson with flurry of boundaries on both sides of the wickets.
Imam, who also scored a century in each innings against Australia in the first test earlier this month, batted resolutely and hit six fours and three sixes before he perished in the 35th over when he holed out at long-on off Zampa.
But Babar, who was criticized for his slow strike rate in the first game, took charge against the spinners and inexperienced fast bowlers as he raised his century off just 71 balls.
Babar departed in the 45th over with Pakistan needing 40 for victory when he was smartly caught at mid-wicket by Labuschagne in Ellis’ return spell before Khushdil kept his cool and carried Pakistan home with two sixes and two fours.
Earlier, McDermott, who scored his maiden ODI half century in Australia’s 88-run win on Tuesday, added 162 runs for the second-wicket stand with Head after captain Aaron Finch was out plumb leg before wicket off the first ball he faced from Shaheen Afridi.
McDermott reached his half century with a straight six off spinner Iftikhar and raised his century with an identical shot against left-arm spinner Khushdil.
McDermott hit 10 fours and four sixes before he missed a full toss from Mohammad Wasim and holed out to mid-wicket but Stoinis provided a late flourish with his breezy knock off 33 balls.
Afridi, who returned after missing the first game due to a knee injury, picked up three late wickets to finish with 4-63, but it was the Pakistan spinners who struggled against Australia’s top-order batters.
Iftikhar and Khushdil leaked 95 runs off their combined 10 overs while Zahid Mahmood went for 71 off his 10 overs for the sole wicket of Head, who top-edged a sweep against the leg-spinner.
The third and final ODI will be played on Saturday before Australia round off its tour to Pakistan with a one-off Twenty20 next Tuesday.
Tigers to host Lankan Lions in May for two Tests
Sri Lanka will visit Bangladesh in May this year for a two-match Test series, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said Thursday.
The series is part of the ICC Test Championship 2021-23
The first Test of the series will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on May 15, and the second Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on May 23.
Read: Elgar, Bavuma hit fifties as South Africa post 233/4 on day 1
Before the series, Sri Lanka will play a two-day practice match at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram on May 11 and 12.
Bangladesh national team is now touring South Africa for a three-match ODI and two-match Test series.
The Tigers finished their ODI campaign with a historic series win. The Test series began Thursday at Durban.
Elgar, Bavuma hit fifties as South Africa post 233/4 on day 1
South African captain Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma hit a fifty each on day one of the Durban Test against Bangladesh on Thursday.
At stumps, the hosts cruised to 233 losing four wickets with Bavuma remaining unbeaten for 53.
Bangladesh have won the toss and opted to bowl first. They failed to impress with the ball in the first session of the day.
The hosts took advantage of the poor bowling display by the visitors.
In the second session, Bangladesh managed to take three wickets and it was the best session for the visitors so far.
In the first wicket stand, Elgar and Sarel Erwee added 113 runs. Right-arm pacer Khaled Ahmed broke the stand taking the wicket of Elgar during the 33 over.
Read: Bangladesh bowl first against South Africa in first Test
The other two wickets were taken by Ebadot Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The hosts lost a wicket trapped in a run-out by a good effort from Mehidy.
The play of the first day was called off early due to the bad light on the ground. The match was also delayed to start due to a malfunction at the sightscreen.
Ahead of this series, Bangladesh faced South Africa in 12 matches and failed to win any of them. But in this tour of South Africa, Bangladesh already won the ODI series, and they are charged up to do something memorable in the Test series too.
But the Tigers are not getting the service of two of their mainstays— Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. While Shakib is out for some personal reason, Tamim failed to make it to the playing XI due to stomachache.
The second Test of the series will take place at Port Elizabeth on April 8.
ICC Women’s World Cup 2022: Australia to Face England in the Final
Both Australia and England combined have won ten out of eleven World Cups since the beginning of the competition in 1973. This stat clearly indicates how dominating these two teams were in the World Cup event. Their dominance in the history of the tournament has continued in the twelfth edition of the tournament as Australia will face England in the championship match. Only New Zealand have won a World Cup other than these two in the year 2000. Let's take a look at how Australia and England have qualified for the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup final.
2022 Women’s World Cup: Australia’s Road to Final
The Australian Women’s team has taken part in the tournament as a hot favourite and they have performed like a real winner. Australia are the only team that has remained undefeated in the tournament. They have won eight matches on the trot, including the semifinal clash against the West Indian Women’s team. Here are the results of Australia's women’s team so far.
Australia vs England
Australia started the campaign with a 12-run win over arch-rivals England. England failed to reach Australia’s 311-run target as they finished the innings on 298/8. Rachael Haynes won the player of the match for her 130-run knock.
Also Read: PAK vs AUS Series 2022: Australia Eye Third Spot in ICC CWC Super league
Pakistan vs Australia
Australia comprehensively beat Pakistan by 7 wickets in their second match. Batting first, Pakistan made 190/6 in their allotted 50 overs. Australia chased down the target with 92 balls to spare for the loss of 3 wickets.
Australia vs New Zealand
New Zealand suffered a heavy defeat in front of their home crowds against Australia. Australia made 269/8 and, in reply, New Zealand were bowled out for only 128 in 30.2 overs. Australia sealed their third consecutive victory by 141 runs.
West Indies vs Australia
Australia didn’t have to work hard to beat the West Indies, as batting first, the Caribbean side was bowled out for only 131 runs. The Australian women’s team chased down the total in 30.2 overs for the loss of 3 wickets and won the match by 7 wickets.
Also Read: SA vs BAN Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim Unprecedented Feat on South African Territory
India vs Australia
There was a lot of buzz prior to this contest, as India were hoping to end Australia’s winning momentum. The Indian side put up a great battle against Australia to defend their 277 runs. But Australia sealed the match by 6 wickets with 3 balls to spare. Meg Lanning won the player of the match for her crucial 97-run knock.
South Africa vs Australia
South Africa also fought hard against Australia but couldn't stop their winning run. Australia comfortably chased down South Africa’s 271 runs in 45.2 overs for the loss of five wickets.
Bangladesh vs Australia
Australia finished their group stage fixtures with a 5-wicket victory. Australia struggled a bit to chase down Bangladesh’s 135 runs. They had to lose five wickets to reach the winning target.
Read ICC ODI Rankings 2022: Bangladesh Surpass Pakistan to Grab the Sixth Position
Australia vs West Indies (Semi-final)
After a dominating show in the group stage, Australia's women’s team were favourites against West Indies in the first semi-final match in Wellington. A good contest was expected from the fixture, but Australia were ruthless and completely outplayed the West Indies.
Batting first, Australia's women’s team made 305/3 and, in reply, the Caribbean women’s team were bowled out for only 148 runs. Australia clinched the match by 157 runs and secured a place in the final. The experienced Alyssa Healy made 129 runs and won the player of the match award.
Probable playing XI (final against England)
Top Order: Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy (Wicket-Keeper), Ashleigh Gardner, Middle-Orders: Meg Lanning (Captain), Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Annabel Sutherland, Darcie Brown, Lower-Order: Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Megan Schutt.
Read Top Performers of Bangladesh in the ICC Women's World Cup 2022
Women’s World Cup 2022: England’s Road to Final
England were one of the favourites, but they had a pretty rocky start to the tournament. The English women lost three consecutive matches before registering four straight victories in the group stage to earn a place in the semifinals. Besides, they overcame South Africa in the second semifinal to earn a place in the championship match. Here are the results of England's women’s team so far.
England vs Australia
England’s World Cup campaign started with a 12-run loss to Australia. England finished their innings on 298/8 in the chase of Australia’s 310 runs.
West Indies vs England
England were favourites against the Caribbean side, but they couldn't chase down the West Indies women’s 225 runs. England were bowled out for 218 and lost the match by 7 runs.
Read SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladeshi players with High Potency
England vs South Africa
In the group stage, South Africa were the second-most successful team after Australia. The South African side as a team played superb cricket in the group stage fixtures. England suffered a 3-wicket defeat to South Africa after failing to defend 235 runs.
India vs England
It was a crucial match for both sides in order to stay alive in the tournament. England eventually came out as the winner. England chased down India’s 134 for the loss of six wickets.
New Zealand vs England
England have gained momentum after defeating India in their fourth match of the group stage. England won their second match in a row after clinching the encounter against New Zealand. However, the English team had to battle hard to overcome the Kiwis, eventually winning by one wicket.
Read ICC Women’s World Cup: Bangladesh end campaign with heaviest defeat against England
Pakistan vs England
England registered a dominating 9-wicket victory over Pakistan. They chased down Pakistan’s 105 runs in 19.2 overs for the loss of one wicket.
England vs Bangladesh
Bangladesh were beaten by England by 100 runs in their final World Cup encounter. England scored 234/6 in 50 overs. Bangladesh were dismissed for 134 runs in 48 overs.
England vs South Africa (Semi-final)
The South African campaign was hopeful that they could beat the English side after some brilliant performances in the group stage. But South Africa’s performance in the second semi-final match against England were very lacklustre. England made 293/8 in their allotted 50 overs and successfully defended the total by bowling South Africa out for 156 runs. England went on to win the contest by 137 runs and seal a place in the Women’s World Cup 2022 final.
Read SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Ten Expected Milestones for Bangladesh Players
Probable playing XI (final against Australia)
Top Order: Tammy Beaumont, Danni Wyatt, Heather Knight (captain), Middle-Orders: Nat Sciver, Amy Jones (Wicket-Keeper), Sophia Dunkley, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Lower-Order: Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Anya Shrubsole
Verdict
The Australian women’s team’s road to the final was pretty smooth in comparison to England’s women’s team. Australia have dominated the tournament with commanding performances, while England had to wait till the last group stage fixtures to confirm their participation in the final. However, no team is a favourite in the championship match. The team that executes their game plan properly has a greater chance of winning the ICC Women's World Cup trophy 2022. The final match of the 12th edition of the Women's World Cup will be staged at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Sunday (April 3). The Australia vs England match will start at 7 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Also Read: Bangladesh bowl first against South Africa in first Test
Bangladesh bowl first against South Africa in first Test
Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque won the toss and opted to bowl first in the first Test of the two-match series against South Africa in Durban.
Tamim Iqbal is missing this match due to stomach problem, team physio Bayezedul Islam has said.
Read:Tigers look to continue the winning streak against South Africa
Ahead of this series, Bangladesh and South Africa played 12 Tests against each other. Bangladesh failed to win any of those games.
Bangladesh are charged up with their recent ODI series win against South Africa. Taskin Ahmed did tremendously well in that series. The right-arm pacer is expected to lead the Bangladesh pace battery in the Test series as well.
Bangladesh are going to miss the service of Shakib Al Hasan. The allrounder returned home after the ODI series in South Africa to stay with the ailing members of his family.
While Bangladesh are without Shakib, South Africa are without some of their key players who preferred IPL over the Test series against Bangladesh.
Read:SA vs BAN Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim Unprecedented Feat on South African Territory
Bangladesh (Playing XI): Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque (c), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (w), Yasir Ali, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain
South Africa (Playing XI): Dean Elgar (c), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne (w), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Lizaad Williams, Duanne Olivier
PAK vs AUS Series 2022: Australia Eye Third Spot in ICC CWC Super league
Australia won the first ODI against Pakistan by an 88-run margin, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Australia had dominated for the majority of the game, but Pakistan had a chance when Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq were on the ground. Once this pair was broken, the batting order collapsed, which suggests Pakistan have an issue in the middle order. The hosts will be hoping to make a strong comeback in the second match in order to level the series. On the other hand, Australia’s target would be to seal the limited-overs PAK vs AUS series 2022 as well as to reach the third spot in the ICC CWC Super League.
Second ODI preview of the Pakistan-Australia Series 2022
Pakistan missed star left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi in the series-opening contest on March 29 due to a knee injury. Latest reports suggest Shaheen Afridi will return to the playing XI and either Mohammad Wasim or Hasan Ali will make way for him.
Read ICC ODI Rankings 2022: Bangladesh Surpass Pakistan to Grab the Sixth Position
On the other hand, the Australian squad has been hit hard by COVID-19, but the good news is that all the members tested negative on Wednesday. So, everyone should be available for selection and the expectation is that Australia will field the same playing XI in the second match. The second One-Day International of the PAK vs AUS series 2022 will be played at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore at 4 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Pakistan
This series is a part of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League, so losing a match means forfeiting 10 valuable points. Given the current scenario of the points standings, Pakistan are in the eleventh position with only 40 points. The most worrying factor is that they have four series left except for the ongoing series. Pakistan need points in order to climb the standings as the top eight teams will advance to the next World Cup 2023.
Read SA vs BAN Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim Unprecedented Feat on South African Territory
Since Shaheen Afridi will return to the playing XI, Babar Azam would be anticipating a more disciplined performance from his pace bowling unit. Except for Haris Rauf, the Pacers were a tad underwhelming. Afridi has the capacity to terrify the batting lineups of the opposition. It would be ideal for Pakistan if he could give early breakthroughs. Pakistan's batting line-up requires more consistent performances in the middle overs since their weakness in this area was revealed in the first encounter.
Probable playing XI
Top Order: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (captain);
Middle-Orders: Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Ali;
Lower-Order: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zahid Mahmood.
Read Top Performers of Bangladesh in the ICC Women's World Cup 2022
Australia
Victory has enhanced the confidence of the Australian campaign, as seen in the first ODI. They had dominated Pakistan all through the game, putting them under constant pressure. The Australian dressing room should be a happy place aside from the threat of coronavirus.
Australia will go into this encounter with two specific objectives in mind: to win the series with a game to spare and to finish third in the World Cup Super League. Australia should consider themselves favourites going into the match after their performance in the first ODI. They would have 80 points if they defeat Pakistan in this match, one point more than India, who are presently in the third position.
Read SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladeshi players with High Potency
Travis Head showed off his batting skills by smashing a 70-ball century in the opening encounter. He, Aaron Finch, and Marnus Labuschagne will be crucial in the middle overs. Since the Australian team has some genuine power hitters, acceleration should not be an issue in the death overs if the platform is set. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa wreaked havoc on Pakistan's late middle order, taking four wickets. Therefore, he will be a critical asset for Australia in achieving breakthroughs when needed. Apart from him, the pacers must perform well in order to maintain pressure on the batters.
Probable Playing XI
Top Order: Travis Head, Aaron Finch (captain), Ben McDermott;
Middle Orders: Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (Wicket-Keeper), Cameron Green, Sean Abbott;
Lower Order: Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Swepson.
Read SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Ten Expected Milestones for Bangladesh Players
Weather Forecast and Pitch Report
There is no chance of rain in Lahore on Thursday, and the sun is expected to shine throughout the day. The second ODI pitch, which is projected to behave in the same way as the previous encounter, is expected to be a run-fest.
Bottom Line
Australia may start as a slight favourite to complete the PAK vs AUS series 2022 in the second ODI. However, no one can rule out Pakistan, particularly in their own territory. The hosts have the potential to stun the Australian team with a proper game plan and execution on the field. The match promises to be thrilling since it is a do-or-die game for Pakistan.
Read SA vs BAN ODI Series 2022: Bangladesh Cricket Team's Performance Analysis
Tigers look to continue the winning streak against South Africa
Charged up post their historic ODI series win against South Africa on the latter's home soil, Bangladesh aim to continue their winning streak in Tests too.
“When you come to play a full series and win the first one, you are one step ahead in terms of confidence,” Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque said ahead of their first Test against South Africa on Thursday.
Read:SA vs BAN Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim Unprecedented Feat on South African Territory
"Though the red-ball cricket is slightly different from the white-ball cricket, we have to start over, but we are confident," he told reporters.
Bangladesh and South Africa are all set to take on each other in the first of the two-match Test series at Kingsmead, Durban, later in the day.
Ahead of this series, Bangladesh won the three-match ODI series against the hosts 2-1. The Tigers won both the matches in Centurion riding on an outstanding team-effort.
Bangladesh played a total of 12 Tests against the Proteas and failed to win any of them. Bangladesh only have two draws which came with the help of rains.
And six among these Tests were played in South Africa and Bangladesh lost all of them. This history is not going to help the Tigers in any way.
“We have to work on the things that went wrong against New Zealand earlier this year,” Mominul said. “We have to follow the process that helped us gain success against the Blackcaps in the Test we’ve won.”
While Bangladesh are full of confidence ahead of the Test series, South Africa are undermanned with some of their key players leaving the team due to their commitment with their respective Indian Premier League teams.
Mominul said that it would keep them ahead of the hosts, but "the hosts will also get some advantage as they are playing in their own land and in front of their own people".
The Bangladesh captain also said the performance of the pace bowlers is important for his team to win a Test in South Africa. “Some of our pacers have done really well in the ODI series. It’s important for our pacers to do well if we want to win a Test here."
Read:SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladeshi players with High Potency
Taskin Ahmed, the right-arm pacer, was the player of the series in ODIs. He is expected to do well in the Test series too. To play in this series, Taskin turned down an offer to play in the Indian Premier League.
Bangladesh are going to miss the service of Shakib Al Hasan in the first match of the two-match Test series. The allrounder is currently in Bangladesh staying with his family. He had to return home after the ODI series as a few members of his family were in the hospital with different illnesses.
He, however, is expected to join the Bangladesh team ahead of the second Test which will be played in St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, from April 8.
SA vs BAN Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim Unprecedented Feat on South African Territory
After winning a memorable ODI series, Bangladesh team is vying for a historic feat in the bilateral Test series against South Africa. Team Tigers have never won a Test match against the Proteas side and have lost six times on South African soil. However, the Tigers have a realistic chance to upset the Proteas Test team this time around because some of their regular players will miss the longer-version format series owing to their involvement in the IPL 2022. The first match preview of the SA vs BAN series 2022 is discussed in this article.
First Match Preview of the South Africa-Bangladesh Test Series 2022
All of Bangladesh's expected players are available for the SA vs BAN series 2022, with the exception of Shakib Al Hasan. Therefore, Captain Mominul Haque should have great faith in his squad going into the game. On the other hand, South African selectors chose some fresh faces for the Test team, as a handful of regular members are now busy playing in the Indian Premier League.
Proteas Captain Dean Elgar will have to rely on some of his young talent. The first match of the series will be played in Kingsmead in Durban, with a scheduled start time of 2 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Bangladesh
Bangladesh's main challenge would be to post a large total in the first innings and then play with tenacity in the second. Two veterans, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim will be crucial in this regard. While Tamim will be in charge of getting Bangladesh off to a good start, Mushfiqur will be in charge of getting the total to a respectable position. In addition, Najmul Hossain and Litton Das will have to exhibit their progress as Test batters.
Read ICC ODI Rankings 2022: Bangladesh Surpass Pakistan to Grab the Sixth Position
Taskin Ahmed will face high expectations in the bowling department after his performance in the ODI series. He, along with Shoriful Islam, can wreak havoc on the Proteas batting lineup. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz must step up in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan.
Probable playing XI
Top Order: Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto;
Middle-Orders: Mominul Haque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim (Wicket-Keeper), Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz;
Lower-Order: Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain.
Read Top Performers of Bangladesh in the ICC Women's World Cup 2022
South Africa
The South African team will be without some key players during this Test series. Dupavillon, Duanne Olivier, and Lutho Sipamla will be in charge of the Proteas pace attack in the absence of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen. They have a lot of first-class cricket experience, so it will be intriguing to see how these pacers do against Bangladesh's batting lineup.
However, experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj may be a game-changer for South Africa. Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma will be vital in the batting order as the Proteas will need them to stand up for special innings.
Probable Playing XI
Top Order: Dean Elgar (Captain), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen;
Middle Orders: Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne (Wicket-Keeper), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj;
Lower Order: Simon Harmer, Daryn Dupavillon, Duanne Olivier, Lutho Sipamla.
Read SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladeshi players with High Potency
Weather Forecast and Pitch Report
Rain is expected on days 2 through 4 of the match, according to the next seven days forecast for Durban. This might be a rain-affected match from this aspect. The opening match may finish in a draw if it rains heavily during the game. The Kingsmead track is known for its pace, but South Africa might prepare a spin-friendly wicket for the first match of the series.
Bottom Line
Since both sides are equally capable of winning the series, the SA vs BAN Series 2022 has no favourite. The main challenge for Bangladesh in the first match in Durban would be to adjust to the conditions and give it their best during the contest. If Bangladesh's game plan against the Proteas is properly executed, they will be able to take control of the match from the start, which will be vital in the match's final outcome.
Oppositely, the South African team will be hoping for some inspirational performances from its young players, but the veteran players will have to shoulder the most of the burden. Overall, this will be the first time that South Africa will begin a Test series against Bangladesh under pressure.
Read ICC Women's World Cup 2022: Meet the Semi-Finalists
ICC ODI Rankings 2022: Bangladesh Surpass Pakistan to Grab the Sixth Position
Had Bangladesh won all of their recent bilateral ODI series matches against Afghanistan and South Africa, they would have had a chance to surpass Pakistan and take a good lead in the rating points. However, Pakistan did Bangladesh a big favour in terms of boosting their current ODI standings after losing the opening match of a three-match home series against Australia by 88 runs on Tuesday (March 29) at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Let's have a look at the most recent ICC ODI rankings for all teams.
The Latest ICC One-Day International Rankings Scenario
Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat to Australia in the first One-Day International, which had an immediate impact on their ODI standings. They dropped some points as a result of their loss against Australia, and have now plummeted to seventh place in the rankings, just behind Bangladesh. Bangladesh had a chance to go past Pakistan last February if they could have whitewashed Afghanistan. Team Tigers squandered the opportunity by losing the third match to the Afghan national side by 7 wickets. However, Bangladesh boosted their rating points by winning the ODI series against South Africa by 2-1. Therefore, Bangladesh's rankings have improved as a result of Pakistan's loss against Australia.
Read: Top Performers of Bangladesh in the ICC Women's World Cup 2022
Pakistan's national team has a good chance of retaining the number six spot following the ODI series against Australia despite dropping one spot in the ICC One-Day International rankings. Pakistan must win at least one of their three matches against their opponents in order to achieve this goal. Pakistan must lose all three matches against Australia in the upcoming ODI series for Bangladesh to stay in sixth place, which is unlikely.
Australia will stay in third place regardless of the results of the remaining games in the series. However, if Australia whitewash Pakistan, their rating points will improve significantly. They will be just one point behind arch-rivals England, who are now in second place.
Read: SA vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladeshi players with High Potency
On the other hand, Pakistan will take a four-point lead over Bangladesh if they win the series 2-1 against Australia, and a one-point advantage if they lose the series 2-1. If Pakistan team gets whitewashed by the Australian side in the series, they will remain in seventh place and be two rating points behind Bangladesh.
The most recent top ten ICC One-Day International (ODI) rankings (as of March 29, 2022)
Position
Team
Ratings
1
New Zealand
121
2
England
119
3
Australia
117
4
India
110
5
South Africa
102
6
Bangladesh
93
7
Pakistan
93
8
Sri Lanka
81
9
West Indies
77
10
Afghanistan
68
Source: https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/mens/team-rankings/odi
Bangladesh’s Remaining ODI Fixtures in 2022
Bangladesh national men's team has four more bilateral ODI series left this year, giving them an opportunity to improve their present position in the ICC ODI rankings. Bangladesh will host Zimbabwe for a three-match ODI series in August and India for the same number of matches in December. Besides, Bangladesh will also play three One-Day Internationals against the West Indies in June-July and three against Ireland in October. As per the schedule, Bangladesh have 12 ODI matches left in the year 2022. Bangladesh's ratings and standings will surely improve if the majority of the matches end in their favour.
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Bottom Line
Bangladesh may not hold the number six spot in the ICC ODI rankings after the completion of the Pakistan-Australia ODI series, but they will be neck and neck with Pakistan in the race for sixth place in the limited-overs team rankings. Bangladesh will certainly climb even further in the ICC ODI team rankings if the Tigers continue to perform well, as they did against the Proteas in their most recent bilateral series.