After a rampant bowling display by Kagiso Rabada, South Africa beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in the Dhaka Test on Thursday.  Rabada ended the match, taking 9 wickets, conceding 72 runs. Along the way, he reached 300 Test wickets as the fastest bowler (in terms of bowling-less deliveries) in history.  The tourists secured a 1-0 lead in the series. The second and final Test of the series will be played in Chattogram on October 29.  South Africa needed only 106 runs to seal the match. They chased it down inside the first session of the fourth day in just 22 overs. Opener Tony de Zorzi hit 41 off just 52 balls hitting 7 fours, and Tristan Stubbs remained unbeaten for 30, ensuring no further fall of wickets. Taijul Islam bagged all three wickets South Africa lost on the fourth day. With this, he took a total of eight wickets in the match. And along the way, he completed 200 wickets in Test as the second Bangladeshi bowler after Shakib Al Hasan.  Bangladesh ended their second innings on 307, securing a lead of 105 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz missed a century just for three runs.  After the match, Mehidy said he was not worried about the century, he rather focused on guiding the team to a better position.  Read: Mehidy, Jaker lead Bangladesh’s fightback in Dhaka Test “As a batamsan, it’s disappointing to miss the century,” he said. “But I was only focussed to guide the team to a better position. I would have been happier if I had execute my plan.” Rabada took six wickets for 46 runs. He was the main bowler that Bangladesh batters failed to play well. In the first innings, he took three wickets.  “He is one in a million,” Aiden Markram, South Africa’s stand-in captain, said after the match praising Rabada. “We are lucky to have him in the team. It’s fantastic to see him do well.” On Wednesday, less than 58 overs of play was possible. Rain and bad lights wasted more than 2.5 hours of play.  In the first innings of the match, Bangladesh scored 106, in reply, South Africa posted 308, riding on a century of Kyle Verreynne.  Bangladesh never won a Test match against South Africa, and they now failed again in the 15th attempt. 

Bangladesh secured an 81-run lead at the end of day three of the Dhaka Test against South Africa, which was cut short due to bad light on Wednesday. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and debutant Jaker Ali hit a fifty each, helping Bangladesh escape the fear of innings defeat. Jaker was the 18th Bangladeshi batter to score a fifty on debut. They put on a 138-run stand before Jaker was dismissed by Keshav Maharaj. Jaker made 58 runs. Less than 58 overs of play was possible on the day. Rain and bad lights wasted more than 2.5 hours of play. Finally, the day was called off with one hour to go before the original closing time. Mehidy hits 50 as Bangladesh escape fear of inning defeat At the start of the day, Bangladesh were 101 runs behind South Africa, but they ended the day with an 81-run lead despite Kagiso Rabada taking two early wickets, removing both Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Mushfqiur Rahim, who were unbeaten overnight. Mehidy remained unbeaten for 87 off 171 balls, while Nayeem Hasan, who came at nine, scored 16. Mushtaq Ahmed, Bangladesh’s spin bowling coach, said they still believe a 200-run is still possible. He insisted that if the players believed, they could achieve it. While Bangladesh are ahead of 81 runs with three wickets in hand, Maharaj, South Africa’s spinner, said they are still in a commanding position in this match. In the first innings of the match, Bangladesh scored 106, in reply, South Africa posted 308, riding on a century of Kyle Verreynne. Taijul Islam bagged five wickets, to complete 200 wickets in Test. Bangladesh played 14 Tests against South Africa but never won a match.

Bangladesh are trailing by 101 runs with seven wickets in hand at the end of day two of the Dhaka Test against South Africa on Tuesday. Riding on a 50-run partnership between Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh ended up on 101 for three. Joy and Mushfqiur Rahim remained unbeaten for 38 and 31, respectively. Kagiso Rabada, who took three in the first innings to reach 300 Tets wickets, took two early wickets in the second innings, removing Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque. Both Shadman and Mominul failed to play the extra bounced deliveries. In the third wicket stand, Joy and Shanto built a partnership of 55 runs, which helped them hold firm and try to build slowly. But Shanto fell Keshav Maharaj. It was a delivery outside off and turning into Shanto's legs. The umpire decided an lbw upon Keshav’s appeal. Shanto did not even bother to appeal for a review. South Africa posted 308 runs in their first innings, with Kyle Verreynne hitting a century that he described as his best innings in Test so far. Dhaka Test: Bangladesh bowled out for 106 as batters falter At the end of day two, Verreynne said the wicket played better than Monday for the batters. But he also added that the wicket may deteriorate as the Test goes ahead. Taijul Islam bagged five-for to reach 200 Test wickets as the second Bangladeshi after Shakib Al Hasan. Bangladesh tumbled for only 106 runs in the first innings. Rabada took three wickets in the first innings, as did Wiaan Mulder and Maharaj. This series is part of the ICC World Test Championship. The winner will carry the points forward to have a better position in the points table. Bangladesh came to this series after a clean sweep against India in a two-match series. However, before the India series, they beat Pakistan in Pakistan.

Bangladesh lost six wickets at the lunch of day one, opting to bat first in the Dhaka Test against South Africa on Monday. At lunch on day one, Mahmudul Hasan Joy was not out for 16, and Bangladesh were at 60 for 6 wickets. Wiaan Mulder, the right-arm pacer, bagged three wickets including the ones of Mominul Haque and Najmul Hossain Shanto. Shadman Islam failed to form a solid foundation in this match. In the second over of the innings, he fell to Wiaan Mulder without scoring. The right-arm pacer also bagged the wickets of Mominul Haque and Najmul Hossain Shanto, all fell in the first half hour of the match. Bangladesh lost three wickets for just 21 runs. Mushfiqur Rahim was responsible for guiding the team and building the innings. But he fell by a wonderful delivery from Kagiso Rabada, scoring 11 runs. Read more: Bangladesh bat first in Dhaka Test vs South Africa After them, Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz also failed to impress. Mehidy was dismissed by Keshav Maharaj. Bangladesh made three changes to their playing XI that faced India in the Kanpur Test, adding Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Jaker Ali Anik and Nayeem Hasan, replacing Shakib Al Hasan, Zakir Hasan and Khaled Ahmed. Bangladesh never won a Test match against South Africa despite meeting 14 times before this series.

South Africa was set a winning target of 159 runs against New Zealand in the Women’s T20 World Cup cricket final on Sunday that will produce a first-time champion. New Zealand scored 158-5 in 20 overs at Dubai International Cricket Stadium after South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to bowl. Amelia Kerr top scored for New Zealand with a 38-ball 43. Brooke Halliday hit 38 runs in 28 deliveries and opener Suzie Bates scored 32 in 31. Nonkululeko Mlaba took 2-31 in four overs for South Africa. Both teams fielded an unchanged side from their semifinal wins where South Africa stunned defending champions Australia in the first semi by eight wickets on Thursday, while New Zealand beat West Indies in the second semifinal by eight runs on Friday. Women’s T20 World Cup final: South Africa to bowl first against New Zealand This is South Africa’s second straight final appearance in the tournament. Losing to Australia by 19 runs, it had finished runners-up in its home tournament in 2023, its best result in the tournament. New Zealand, meanwhile, reached the tournament final for the first time since 2010. In the first two editions – 2009 and 2010 – it had lost to England by six wickets in London, and to Australia by three runs in Barbados.

The Bangladesh cricket team is all set to begin their two-match Test series against South Africa on Monday with the Dhaka Test, which will be the first Test of the hosts after their premier allrounder Shakib Al Hasan announced his retirement. Before the Kanpur Test during Bangladesh’s last India tour, Shakib announced his retirement and expressed his desire to play his final Test in Dhaka in front of the home crowd. However, due to his political identity, Shakib was advised not to come to Bangladesh because of safety concerns, which has effectively made the Kanpur Test his last. Shanto calls Shakib’s absence ‘unfortunate’ ahead of South Africa Test Bangladesh captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, however, said he still hopes Shakib will one day retire in front of the home crowd. Keeping the Shakib controversy behind, the Bangladesh team is looking forward to changing their fate against South Africa, the team they never beat in Tests. “If we talk to0 much about this, nothing will change,” Shanto said. “Rather, we want to play good cricket and execute our plan well. If we can play according to our plan, we can get a different result against South Africa this time.” It’s been a decade since South Africa won a Test series in the subcontinent, which proved their dismal performance in the format in the subcontinent. Bangladesh’s new coach, Phil Simmons, who took the post after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) suspended the previous coach, Chandika Hatushingha, said it’s a great opportunity for Bangladesh. “It is definitely a good opportunity. Bangladesh are usually very strong at home. So it is a very good opportunity for us to win the Test series,” Simmons said on his first interaction with media in Bangladesh. Shanto also echoed the same idea. He said Bangladesh will be the favorite in this series. He added that spinners will play a crucial role in this series. “This series is going to be difficult for both teams,” the Bangladesh captain said. “I think we are a bit ahead of them at home. Spinners will play a big role there, as always. I am not looking for anything extra, just what they did in the past.”

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to bowl against New Zealand in the Women’s T20 World Cup final on Sunday. Both teams fielded an unchanged side from their semi-final wins where South Africa stunned defending champions Australia in the first semi by eight wickets on Thursday, while New Zealand beat West Indies in the second semi-final by eight runs on Friday. This is South Africa’s second straight final appearance in the tournament. Losing to Australia by 19 runs, it had finished runners-up in its home tournament in 2023, its best result in the tournament history. New Zealand, meanwhile, reached the tournament final for the first time since 2010. In the first two editions – 2009 and 2010 – it had lost to England by six wickets in London, and to Australia by three runs in Barbados. The 2024 T20 World Cup will consequently crown a first-time champion. It is the first time South Africa and New Zealand have crossed paths in a T20 World Cup knockout – New Zealand leads their series 3-2 in past group encounters in the tournament. Both teams finished second in their respective league groups – New Zealand beat India in its all-important opener, as well as Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but lost to Australia thus finishing second in group A. South Africa lost to England, but beat West Indies, Scotland and Bangladesh to qualify second from group B. The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium should be good for batters on both sides. The average score in the powerplay has gone up at this venue as the tournament has progressed sp a high-scoring game could be on the cards. Lineups: New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (captain), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze, Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Chloe Tryon, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka

Ambassador of Palestine to Bangladesh, Yousef S. Y. Ramadan, on Thursday said the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gives a sense of optimism for the Palestinians to be independent after 75 years of struggle. "It's the first step on the way. We can build upon this," he said while speaking at the DCAB Talk at Jatiya Press Club. BNP and Jamaat still haven’t uttered a single word against genocide in Palestine: Foreign Minister Responding to a question, Ambassador Ramadan said they should not just stop there. "No. We wanted to wait and see. We want to provide ICJ with the evidence that Israel did commit genocide. This is our duty. This is the duty of everyone," he said. PM Hasina denounces Israeli attacks on Palestine, calls for ending the war The envoy added, "That's what we need ....to continue. And ICJ should continue the work to achieve its goal. It should not just relax." The ambassador said they are extremely grateful to Bangladesh and South Africa for their role. Bangladesh supported the genocide case filed by South Africa with the ICJ. Creation of Palestine state urgent; US key actor in bringing this to reality: Dr Yunus Lauding Bangladesh's position, he said this was a very courageous move from Bangladesh. In the ICJ proceedings, South Africa contended that Israel is violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention with its military assault on Gaza, which began on October 8, 2023, after the attack by Hamas in Israel, which killed 1,200 people and wounded many more. Around 240 people were also taken hostage in the attack. During oral hearings earlier this month, Israel sought to have the case dismissed by the ICJ judges — a motion that was rejected last Friday (January 26). The landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) offers the first concrete hope to protect civilians in Gaza enduring apocalyptic humanitarian conditions, destruction, mass killing, wounding and irreparable trauma, UN experts said today. “The ruling is a significant milestone in the decades-long struggle for justice by the Palestinian people,” the experts said. The ICJ found it plausible that Israel’s acts could amount to genocide and issued six provisional measures, ordering Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent genocidal acts, including preventing and punishing incitement to genocide, ensuring aid and services reach Palestinians under siege in Gaza, and preserving evidence of crimes committed in Gaza. “We echo the sense of urgency demonstrated by the Court in its short, two-week deliberation, as hundreds of Palestinians, primarily women and children, are being killed by Israeli forces every day, resulting in a death toll of 26,751 people in Gaza over the past three months. This amounts to over 1% of the population,” they said. Ambassador Ramadan said that the international community is gradually abandoning Israel that has so far been enjoying impunity just because it is powerful. On January 30, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Britain is ready to bring forward the moment when it formally recognises a Palestinian state. He said Palestinians had to be given a political horizon to encourage peace in the Middle East, BBC reported. When his attention was brought to that, the ambassador said the UK should have been the first to recognise the Palestinian State because all the problems of Palestine were created because of British policy. He said US President Joe Biden is working very hard to find a solution but he should have done it much earlier. Ambassador Ramadan said the international community for long has ignored the Palestinians' issue just because Israel is powerful. "Israel is there fighting us. But who are the countries standing beside it? The powerful countries," he said. Ambassador Ramadan said he does not represent Hamas or Fattah but the Palestine Liberation Organization. “This is a very hot issue. Talk about this,” he said, expressing disappointment over the lack of unity among the Muslim countries while he referred to the unity in Europe. The ambassador said he never felt like a refugee during his nine-year stay in Bangladesh as he always received warmth and love from the people here. DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib and its General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Apu also spoke.

In the aftermath of World War II and the murder by Nazi Germany of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, the world united around a now-familiar pledge: Never again. A key part of that lofty aspiration was the drafting of a convention that codified and committed nations to prevent and punish a new crime, sometimes called the crime of crimes: genocide. The convention was drawn up in 1948, the year of Israel's creation as a Jewish state. Now that country is being accused at the United Nations' highest court of committing the very crime so deeply woven into its national identity. The reason the genocide convention exists "is related directly to what the (Nazi) Third Reich attempted to do in eliminating a people, the Jewish people, not only of Germany, but of Eastern Europe, of Russia," said Mary Ellen O'Connell, a professor of law and international peace studies at Notre Dame University's Kroc Institute. Now, in response to Israel's devastating military offensive in Gaza that was triggered by murders and atrocities perpetrated by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, South Africa has gone to the International Court of Justice and accused Israel of genocide. Israel rejects the claim and accuses Pretoria of providing political cover for Hamas. South Africa also asked the 17-judge panel to make nine urgent orders known as provisional measures. They are aimed at protecting civilians in Gaza while the court considers the legal arguments of both sides. First and foremost is for the court to order Israel to "immediately suspend its military operations in and against Gaza." Protests against Germany's far right draw hundreds of thousands — in Munich, too many for safety On Friday, the court's American president, U.S. judge Joan E. Donoghue, will read out its decision at a public hearing. Here is more information about the crime of genocide and other cases in the past. WHAT IS GENOCIDE? The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, defines the crime as acts "committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such." It lists the acts as killing; causing serious bodily or mental harm; deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group's physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births; and forcibly transferring children. The text is repeated in the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court, as one of the crimes under its jurisdiction, along with war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. The ICC prosecutes individuals and is separate to the International Court of Justice, which rules in disputes between nations. In its written filings and at a public hearing earlier this month, South Africa alleged genocidal acts by Israel forces including killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing serious mental and bodily harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions meant to "bring about their physical destruction as a group." Israel has vehemently taken issue with South Africa's claims, arguing that it is acting in self-defense against what it calls the genocidal threat to its existence posed by Hamas. HOW DO YOU PROVE GENOCIDE? As well as establishing one or more of the underlying crimes listed in the convention, the key element of genocide is intent — the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. It's tough to prove. German citizenship to become easier; here are the details "The most important thing is that whatever happens is done with the specific intent to destroy a group, so there's no plausible alternative reason why those crimes have been committed," said Marieke de Hoon, an associate professor of international law at the University of Amsterdam. Said O'Connell: "Can you show that the widespread killing of these people was intended by the government? Or ... was the government waging a war and during that war large numbers of this particular group died, but that was not the intent of the government?" At public hearings earlier this month and in its detailed written submission to the ICJ, South Africa cited comments by Israeli officials that it claimed demonstrate intent. Malcolm Shaw, an international law expert on Israel's legal team, called the comments South Africa highlighted "random quotes not in conformity with government policy." HAS THE ICJ EVER RULED BEFORE ON GENOCIDE? In 2007, the court ruled that Serbia "violated the obligation to prevent genocide" in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, when Bosnian Serb forces rounded up and murdered some 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys in the Bosnian region. Two other genocide cases are currently on the court's docket. Ukraine filed a case shortly after Russia's invasion nearly two years ago that accuses Moscow of launching the military operation based on trumped-up claims of genocide and that Russia was planning acts of genocide in Ukraine. In that case, the court ordered Russia to halt its invasion, an order that Russia flouted. Another case involves Gambia, on behalf of Muslim nations, accusing Myanmar of genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority. Gambia filed the case on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Both Gambia and South Africa have filed ICJ cases in conflicts they are not directly involved in. That's because the genocide convention includes a clause that allows individual states — even uninvolved ones — to call on the United Nations to take action to prevent or suppress acts of genocide. HAVE OTHER INTERNATIONAL COURTS PROSECUTED GENOCIDE? Two now defunct U.N. tribunals — for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda — both dealt with genocide, among other crimes. NATO holds its biggest exercises in decades next week, involving around 90,000 personnel The Yugoslav court convicted defendants including former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his military chief Gen. Ratko Mladic on genocide charges for their involvement in the Srebrenica massacre. The Rwanda tribunal, headquartered in Arusha, Tanzania, was the first international court to hand down a genocide conviction when it found Jean Paul Akayesu guilty of genocide and other crimes and sentenced him to life imprisonment in 1998. He was convicted for his role in Rwanda's 1994 genocide, when militants from the Hutu majority slaughtered some 800,000 people, mostly minority Tutsis. The tribunal convicted 62 defendants for their roles in the genocide. The International Criminal Court has charged ousted Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir with genocide in the Darfur region. He has not been handed to the court to stand trial. Al-Bashir's government responded to a 2003 insurgency with a campaign of aerial bombings and unleashed militias known as Janjaweed, who are accused of mass killings and rapes. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes. A hybrid domestic and international court in Cambodia convicted three men members of the Khmer Rouge whose brutal 1970s rule caused the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people. Two of them were found guilty of genocide.

South Africa and Australia will play in the second semifinal of the ICC World Cup 2023. The spotlight is on the clash between these two cricket giants, set to unfold at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The match will kick off at 2:30 pm Bangladesh time on November 16, 2023. Preview of SA vs AUS ODI in ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 South Africa is up against Australia, which seems to be the rematch of the 1999 World Cup edition. The South African team led by Temba Bavuma has been impressive, winning seven out of nine games in the tournament. Their only losses were against India and, surprisingly, the Netherlands. The South African team has a strong batting lineup in this World Cup, evident in their dominant performance against Sri Lanka, where they set the highest score of 428 in the World Cup. Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, and especially Quinton de Kock are in excellent form in the current ODI tournament. Quinton de Kock, who appears to be in his last ODI World Cup, has been notably outstanding, accumulating a total of 591 runs during the group stage. However, there's uncertainty about their captain, Bavuma, as he is doubtful to start due to a hamstring injury sustained in the match against Afghanistan. Read more: New Zealand tour of Bangladesh in 2023-2024: Schedules, Fixtures, Team In terms of fast bowlers, South Africa hasn't felt the absence of the injured Anrich Nortje much. Players like Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, and Kagiso Rabada have given their best. Coetzee, in particular, has been impressive, taking 18 wickets in the group stage of the tournament. Jansen, who also contributes with the bat, has secured 17 wickets. The upcoming match at Eden Gardens, renowned for aiding both pacers and batters, promises to be an exciting viewing experience. In contrast, Australia experienced a slow start in the World Cup. They faced setbacks with consecutive losses to India and South Africa, impacting their early standing. Nevertheless, the Australian team quickly recovered, securing wins against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand. Key players like David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, and Travis Head have been making significant contributions with the bat. Notable moments include Maxwell's explosive 201-run performance against Afghanistan and Marsh's impressive 177-run innings against Bangladesh. Although Mitchell Starc hasn't been taking many wickets, Adam Zampa has been a standout performer for Australia, with an impressive haul of 22 wickets in the World Cup group stage. This incredible performance put them in the favorite position in the World Cup. The Australian team is eager to turn the tables and avenge their 134-run loss against South Africa in match 10 of the ongoing tournament. Read more: ICC unveils prize money for 2023 Cricket World Cup South Africa vs Australia Head to Head in ODI In the 109 head-to-head ODI matches between South Africa and Australia, South Africa holds the edge. They have secured victory 55 times, while Australia has won 50 times. Interestingly, three matches, including a World Cup semifinal, concluded in a tie, and one match had no result. Out of South Africa's 55 wins, 27 came while batting first and 28 while chasing. On the other hand, Australia achieved 17 victories when chasing and 33 when setting a target. It sets the stage for a closely contested match, given the history of competition between these two cricketing powerhouses. In the history of the ODI World Cup, South Africa and Australia have faced each other seven times. Their record is evenly matched, with both teams securing three victories each. Notably, their encounter in the 1999 semi final ended in a tie, adding a dramatic chapter to their World Cup history. Table: South Africa vs Australia Head-to-Head ODI Matches So Far Stats Matches South Africa Won Australia Won No Result Tie Overall 109 55 50 1 3 ODI World Cups 7 3 3 0 1 Predicted South Africa XI Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. Predicted Australia XI Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne/Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood. Read more: ICC World Cup 2023: Australia Men's ODI Squad Analysis Key South African Players to Watch Quinton de Kock Undoubtedly, all attention will be on Quinton de Kock in the semifinals. As of the end of the group stage, he stands as the second-highest run-scorer in the competition, scoring an impressive 591 runs with an average of 65.66. De Kock has been in exceptional form, hitting four centuries in this edition. The team would certainly appreciate it if he could add one more to his tally in the upcoming match. His performance will likely play a crucial role in determining South Africa's success in the semifinals. Heinrich Klaasen Heinrich Klaasen is a hard hitter who makes a significant impact, showcasing a striking rate of 140.51 in this competition. He particularly excels when facing spinners and could be the one to challenge the in-form Adam Zampa. Given his proficiency in facing spin bowling, Klaasen emerges as a player to watch closely, and his performance may have a crucial impact in the upcoming match. Kagiso Rabada South Africa's bowling is strong and balanced, thanks to the reliable Kagiso Rabada. He's an experienced and dependable fast bowler who grabbed 29 wickets against Australia with an average of 24.96. Rabada's skill and know-how make him a key player in South Africa's bowling lineup, and he'll be crucial in the upcoming match against Australia. Read more: Bangladesh's Overall Performance Analysis in the ICC World Cup 2023 Key Australian Players to Watch David Warner The Australian batting lineup is packed with powerful hitters, and this strength extends deep into the order. David Warner, in particular, has consistently performed well throughout the tournament, scoring a total of 499 runs at an impressive average of 55.44. His contributions with the bat have been crucial, and he will likely play a key role in the upcoming match. Mitchell Marsh Mitchell Marsh recently delivered a remarkable unbeaten innings of 177 runs from 132 balls against Bangladesh. His outstanding performance played a pivotal role in Australia successfully chasing a target of 307 with nearly six overs to spare. Marsh's impactful contribution adds another layer of strength to the Australian team as they head into the upcoming match. Adam Zampa Australia's bowling hasn't been particularly impressive, except for Adam Zampa's outstanding performance. The leg-spinner is leading the bowling charts in this World Cup, having taken an impressive 22 wickets at an average of 18.90. Zampa's remarkable form has been a standout for Australia in the tournament. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2026 2nd Round Qualifiers: BAN vs AUS Match Preview Final Words Australia and South Africa have a rich history of rivalry, filled with memorable contests, and this upcoming match promises to be another thrilling encounter. The last time these teams faced off in the tournament, South Africa dominated, winning by 134 runs. However, a lot has changed since then, and it's unlikely we'll see a repeat of that result. Australia enters the knockout stage with confidence, riding on a winning streak, and they are known to be tough opponents in such high-pressure situations. Considering Australia's current form, they are likely to come out on top in this contest in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023. Read more: T Sports Bags Broadcasting Rights for BPL's Next Two Seasons and Bangladesh’s Home Series Till 2024