Chasing a modest 114, Bangladesh could only manage 109-7 in reply as South Africa registered their third win in three Group D games.
Bangladesh fell short due to a controversial DRS call that cost them a crucial boundary.Despite a valiant effort from their bowlers, particularly Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed, who restricted South Africa to 113/6, Bangladesh couldn’t capitalise fully in their chase.
Heinrich Klaasen’s 46 and David Miller’s 29 for South Africa were pivotal in setting a defendable target. The narrow defeat leaves Bangladesh ruing missed opportunities and controversial decisions.
The incident happened on the second ball of the 17th over of the innings when Mahmudullah, who was on 15 runs, was controversially declared out lbw by on-field umpire Sam Nogajski off the bowling of Ottneil Baartman. Crucially, the ball had actually deflected off Mahmudullah‘s pads and trickled to the fine leg boundary. However, since the on-field umpire had declared him out, the ball was deemed dead and Bangladesh lost crucial four runs which ultimately proved to be the margin of victory for the Proteas. The ball was going down the leg side and the decision was overturned (DRS), but the damage had already been done by that time.
Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer was quick to point out this fact soon after the match ended, and felt for the Bangladesh fans.
“Mahmudullah was wrongly given out LBW, the ball went for four leg byes. The decision was reversed on DRS. Bangladesh didn’t get the 4 runs as ball is dead once batter given out, even if wrongly. And SA ended up winning the game by 4 runs. Feel for Bangladesh fans,” Jaffer wrote on social media platform X.