ABU DHABI — Kagiso Rabada on Tuesday hailed South Africa’s convincing six-wicket win over Bangladesh to boost their semi-final hopes at the Twenty20 World Cup after the pace spearhead stood out with figures of 3-20.
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Rabada and fellow quick Anrich Nortje shared six wickets between them to skittle out Bangladesh for just 84 in 18.2 overs in Abu Dhabi.
South Africa lost four wickets but skipper Temba Bavuma hit an unbeaten 31 and steered the team home in 13.3 overs for a third win from four Super 12 matches.
“What we have shown is that we have had different individuals stand up in different games and I think that’s been the key, we are performing as a team. Glad we convincingly won today,” said Rabada.
“I am chuffed, but I am certainly not going to think about cricket tomorrow until we have to train again, but when the time comes we will regroup and strategize for England (on Saturday). And it is going to be a good game.”
England, with four wins from four, are virtually assured of a place in the semi-finals leaving South Africa and Australia as the main contenders for second place in the group.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are now definitely out of the equation in Group 1 with West Indies only left with a slim chance of progress.
Taskin Ahmed returned figures of 2-18 but Bangladesh bowed out after losing all their four matches.
‘Different story’
Rabada came all guns blazing after South Africa elected to field first and sent back Mohammad Naim, for nine, and Soumya Sarkar, for nought, to be on a hat-trick.
Mushfiqur Rahim denied Rabada his third successive wicket on the first ball of his next over but got out three deliveries later without scoring.
“If I can contribute to the team success I’ll take it, even if I am not taking wickets,” said Rabada.
“But on a personal note it’s good to take wickets especially upfront in the powerplay making inroads, that’s what we strive to do.”
Bangladesh suffered another double blow when Nortje claimed skipper Mahmudullah Riyad’s prized scalp for three and Afif Hossain fell to Dwaine Pretorius for a duck.
Bangladesh slipped to 34-5 and the wickets kept tumbling with Nortje and leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi sharing five wickets between them as South Africa wrapped up the Bangladesh innings in 18.2 overs.
Mahedi Hasan top-scored with 27 before being caught and bowled by Nortje.
“It’s frustrating, but we could have won two games,” Mahmudullah said of his team’s losses including two close matches against Sri Lanka and West Indies.
“If we had won those games, it would have been a different story.”
In reply, South Africa fell to 33-3 after Aiden Markam was dismissed for nought by Taskin but Rassie van der Dussen, who made 22, and Bavuma put the chase back on track.
The pair put on 47 runs for the fourth wicket before Nasum Ahmed got van der Dussen out.
David Miller came to hit the winning boundary as South Africa made it three wins in a row after their opening loss to Australia who are third in the table led by unbeaten England.
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