South Africa dominated the first Test match against Bangladesh, securing a seven-wicket victory and taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The match, held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, saw fast bowler Kagiso Rabada shine with a remarkable performance, finishing with figures of 6-46 in Bangladesh’s second innings.
After restricting Bangladesh to 307 all out, South Africa was left with a modest target of 106 runs for victory. Opening batsman Tony de Zorzi led the charge with a brisk 41 off 52 balls, propelling his team towards the target. Despite losing a few quick wickets, including stand-in captain Aiden Markram and David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs steadied the ship with an unbeaten 30 to guide South Africa to victory before lunch on the fourth day.
Rabada’s exceptional bowling display earned him a total of 9-72 in the match, making him the fastest bowler to reach 300 Test wickets. He was well supported by the rest of the bowling attack, as South Africa wrapped up Bangladesh’s innings quickly on the final day.
Bangladesh’s resistance crumbled in the face of South Africa’s relentless pressure, with all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz top-scoring with 97 in their second innings. However, their lower order failed to provide much resistance as Rabada and Wiaan Mulder cleaned up the tail.
In their first innings, South Africa posted a competitive total of 308, thanks to Kyle Verreynne’s impressive century. With this win, South Africa maintained their unbeaten record against Bangladesh in Test cricket.
The focus now shifts to the second and final match of the series, scheduled to start on October 29 in Chattogram. South Africa will be looking to seal the series with another strong performance, while Bangladesh will be eager to bounce back and secure their first-ever Test victory against the Proteas.
