Bangladesh all out for 255 against SA invitational X1
Dhaka: Bangladesh National Cricket team, now touring South Africa, scored 255 runs for all in 48.1 overs against South Africa Invitational Eleven in their lone one-day preparatory tour match at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Thursday ahead of the three-match ODI series against the Proteas.
Visiting Bangladesh opted to bat first after winning the toss, but their decision was back fired as they lost four early wickets for 63 runs in 14.5 overs in absence of injury grabbed opener Tamim Iqbal.
After the dismissal of four top order batsmen -Soumya Sarkar (3), Imrul Kayes (27), Liton Kumar Das (8) and Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim (22) - for 63 runs, world famed all rounder Shakib Al Hasan pairing with Mahmudullah Riyad repaired early damage scoring 57 runs in the 5th wicket stand.
Number five batsman Shakib Al Hasan again partnering with Sabbir Rahman contributed to 76 runs in the 6th wicket stand.
Shakib, who joined the Bangladesh team after enjoying leave in the Test series, hammered the team highest 68 runs off 67 deliveries, featuring nine boundaries, number seven batsman Sabbir Rahman scored 52 runs off 54 balls hitting two fours and three sixes.
Mahmudullah Riyad (21), skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (17), Mohammad Saifuddin not out 13 and Nasir Hossain (12) were the other scorers for Bangladesh team.
Visiting Bangladesh, which was whitewashed in the two-match Test series humiliatingly, will play the first ODI of a 3-match series against South Africa on Saturday (Oct 15) at the De Beers Diamond Oval in Kimberley.
The 2nd ODI will be held on October 18 at the Boland Park in Paarl and 3rd and last ODI on October 22 at Buffalo Park in East London.
After the ODI series, touring Bangladesh will play a two-match T20 series against the Proteas, firstly on October 26 back at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein again, and the second on October 29 at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom, concluding their tour first full tour of South Africa in nine years.
The first T20 match will kick-off at 10pm BST while 2nd and last T20 will begin at 6:30 pm BST.