No respite for Bangladesh as South Africa due on June 30
Sports Reporter
As soon as the end of the second home series after the World Cup Down Under another home series against South Africa is knocking at the door.
The new home series against the Proteas is scheduled to kick start with two-match Twenty20 series to be held at Sher-e-Bangla National
Cricket Stadium from July 5 though the visiting side is all set to arrive in Dhaka just five-day after the conclusion of the short-series against the next door neighbour.
The top-ranking team, splitting into three batches, are slated to come on June 30. The first batch led by Twenty20 skipper Faf du Plessis is expected to land at 8:40am by the flight of EK582.
During the month-long tour, the tourists will play two Twenty20s, three ODIs and two Tests against the home side.
AB de Villiers Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis will make the tour for the two-match Twenty20 and three-match ODI series but pace spearhead Dale Steyn and all-rounder Vernon Philander will not feature in the ODIs and T20Is in the upcoming tour of Bangladesh.
ODI skipper AB de Villiers will miss out the Test series as he will then be on paternal leave. Cricket of South Africa (CSA) picked four uncapped players including Reeza Hendricks, Dane Vilas, Aaron Phangiso and Kagiso Rabada for their tour to Bangladesh.
Centering the forthcoming home series, former and current players from both Bangladesh and South Africa uttered warning to their respective teams. Of them, former fast bowler of South Africa, Andre Nel, warned their side about Tigers following whitewashing Pakistan and series victory against India after the World Cup and criticised their board to send the watered-down team against the new-look Tigers at their home den.
They have a nice mix of slightly older and younger players who are gelling well which is why it is a bit of a concern that we are taking a slightly weaker team to Bangladesh. Their senior players have morphed into a dangerous senior core that delivers consistently. They need to be taken more seriously now but I hope our younger guys can stand up and be counted on said Andre Nel, former seamer of South Africa.
Before the last one day against India, Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, on the other hand, referring to the next home series against the Proteas said, I believe the team will start from where we have left off so that we can end the India series like the way we finished the Pakistan series. It will also give us a shot in our arm before the South Africa series next month.
Even he said that African side will be tougher rivals
than India were though they are not so familiar with the conditions and surfaces of the sub-continent. But their weakness against spin is open secret for all.
India are strong in batting, but not with the ball. I had said before the series that we would win if our bowlers could stop their batsmen and it happened so. But well have to do well in every area if we want to beat South Africa because they do not have any weaknesses, said Mortaza.
Terming the Proteas as a balanced team, Bangladesh skipper said that they have player likes of Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, David Miller, Rilee Rossouw, who are all match winners. Anyone is enough to beat any team.
The Bangladesh team will play an exhibition T20 match on June 29 to start their preparation for series with South Africa at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. On the other hand the visitors will play a warm-up T20 match on July 3 at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium.
