Time News Desk: Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan believes that the robust batting of South Africa’s top order duo of Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock took the game away from them in their second Super 12 match of the ICC T20 World Cup in Sydney on Thursday.
Following the departure of South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma, who could only score two, the pair formed a massive partnership of 168 runs on the second wicket, the highest-ever partnership in T20 World Cup history, which handed the Tigers their biggest defeat in this format by 104 runs.
‘We had to pick up wickets. We were bound to lag behind because of not being able to scalp wickets. They had wickets in their hand, and the way the pair [Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock] played took the game away from us,’ said Shakib in the post-match press conference.
‘We couldn’t execute the plan we designed, especially at the beginning of our innings, inside the first six overs. The wicket was good like the previous day, and the way New Zealand played against Australia here on that day, South Africa did the same to us,’ he added.
Chasing a huge 206-run total, Bangladesh were bowled out for a pitiful 101, as only Liton Das could make 34, while other batsmen failed to go beyond 20, which conveyed to the Tiger skipper a strong warning to overhaul the scenario of their batting.
‘We have to improve our batting to a large extent and adapt with the pace and bounce if we want to do any better.’
The Bangladesh captain admitted that their initial plan of picking up wickets consistently got ruined due to the devastating display from Rossouw and de Kock, as Bangladesh bowlers could only scalp five wickets, four of which were taken towards the end of the South African innings, after the damage was done.
‘We couldn’t bowl the way we aimed. The way the situation changed, there wasn’t much chance of recovery, and we weren’t prepared for that either.’
‘After claiming a wicket in the first over, we couldn’t scalp another until the 14th over, which put us on the back foot in the game,’ said the 35-year-old all-rounder.
Rossouw, who had been undergoing a severe run-draught until October, smashed a 56-ball 109, the first ton of this edition of the T20 World Cup that also helped the Proteas reach the highest team total of this World Cup.
The Bangladesh skipper thinks this impressive innings from Rossouw resulted from his hunger to do something good and prove himself on the biggest stage.
‘I think he had the hunger to do well after that. Therefore, he has a lot to prove. His celebration demonstrated how he served his country. The way he batted, we must give him; he didn’t leave any chance for us,’ Shakib concluded.
