Bangladesh is poised to face South Africa in their second match of the ongoing T20 World Cup on Monday in New York. South Africa remain a team that Bangladesh have yet to defeat in this format.

South Africa has already secured victories against Sri Lanka and the Netherlands in their first two matches, both held at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. This familiarity with the venue's challenging surface could give them an advantage.

The newly constructed stadium has hosted five matches so far, and the pitch has been labeled difficult for batting. The highest score at the venue is a mere 137 runs, scored by Canada.

The Nassau County pitch has been a point of contention due to its unpredictable behavior in the first two matches. In both, no team managed to surpass 100 runs in an innings.

The pitch has been described as uneven, with the ball behaving erratically—rearing, kicking, jagging, spitting, seaming, and sometimes stopping. Some deliveries have shot through at shin height, while others have sailed over the batters' heads.

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Following waves of criticism from the cricket stars and expats, the ICC has said they are working hard to make it better.

Bangladesh's coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, acknowledged the difficulty of batting on the pitch.

“The pitch has been difficult for batting,” he said. “That is what we are seeing in most of the games. It was not that easy for batters when we also played here. So that brings both teams equally into the game.”

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Chandika also noted the strength of South Africa's bowling attack but expressed confidence in his team's ability to mount a strong challenge.

Bangladesh is unlikely to make changes to their playing XI, but the head coach said they will finalize their decision based on the pitch conditions.

“It always depends on the condition and the opposition if we have to change something,” Chandika said. “We will look at the pitch to get an idea of how it's going to behave, and we also know South Africa's strength and our strength. So most likely, you will see a similar team, or otherwise, depending on what we think is the best combination.”

Bangladesh has played eight matches against South Africa without a win. As they face them again, the pitch conditions will be a crucial factor for Bangladesh to consider.

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With two wins, South Africa is well-positioned to advance to the next phase of the World Cup. Bangladesh, with one win from their first match against Sri Lanka, also aims to progress after a series of defeats and lackluster performances.