Proteas opening batter Rilee Rossouw was in menacing form as he hit seven fours and a whopping eight sixes to register a century and propel South Africa to its first victory at the 2022 T20 World Cup, currently taking place in Australia.

The South Africans bamboozled Bangladesh by a staggering 104 runs in their second Group 2 match Down Under. The catalyst to this commanding victory was player of the match and top scorer, Rossouw (109 from just 56 balls), as well as his 163-run partnership with Quinton de Kock for the second wicket.

Speedster Anrich Nortje — who picked up two Bangladeshi wickets in his first over and bowled with supreme pace to finish with career-best figures of four for 10 — was equally instrumental to the Proteas victory. Through his efforts, the Asians were bowled out for 101.

Rilee Rossouw of South Africa bats during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match between South Africa and Bangladesh at Sydney Cricket Ground on 27 October, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Swinging for glory

De Kock’s innings were slow and steady in comparison to Rossouw, but the South African opener looked in excellent touch too as he added 63 from just 38 deliveries to continue his fast start to the tournament.

In their rained-out opening World Cup match versus Zimbabwe, the enigmatic 29-year-old smashed 47 runs off just 18 balls faced before the match was called.

He carried that form over as the South Africans won the toss and opted to bat first in this crucial second encounter.

However, it seemed to be the wrong decision as Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma was dismissed by seamer Taskin Ahmed in the opening over — with just two runs registered by the African nation.

From then on it was the Rossouw and De Kock show as the duo hit the Bangladeshi bowlers all around the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on their way to salvaging South Africa’s innings.  

“That definitely does help. I was there for about three years, and for two of those I was the leading run-scorer. I played against a lot of the boys in their backyard, and with them. So, I wasn’t too unfamiliar with what they would have to offer,” centurion Rossouw said on whether playing in the Bangladesh Premier League provided him with a mental edge heading into the clash.

With rain halting proceedings while the pair warmed up for their ultimately thunderous partnership, fears that the Proteas’ chances of progressing to the knockout stage would be washed away rose to the fore.

However, the weather deities smiled upon those gathered at the iconic SCG as play resumed after a delay of about 20 minutes. Thereafter, it rained sixes and fours as De Kock and Rossouw had the opposition bowlers in sixes and sevens.

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By the time the Asian nation was able to break the second-wicket partnership, South Africa was comfortably over 150 runs and cruising to the 200-run milestone. Afif Hossain’s spin had De Kock in a tailspin, with Soumya Sarkar taking a comfortable catch at deep mid-off to halt the pair’s dual destruction.

The Proteas eventually set a target of 205 for Bangladesh, at the cost of five wickets.

Nasty Nortje

Up stepped South Africa’s bowling attack, with seamer Anrich Nortje in sensational form. As Bangladesh made early inroads on the set target — scoring 26 runs without losing a wicket in the first two overs — it was Nortje who brought them back to reality with a thud.

The quick quickly dismantled the Bangladeshi fightback with a wicket in the third over. In the same over, he dispatched the other opener, Najmul Shanto.

Nortje would return two overs later to chop Bangladesh down to 39 for three after trapping captain Shakib Al Hasan leg before wicket (LBW).

Tabraiz Shamsi, who came in for Lungi Ngidi, was the perfect supporting bowler for Nortje as the spinner picked up three wickets — one less than the seamer. Kagiso Rabada registered one wicket, as did Keshav Maharaj.

These contributions saw the Bangladeshi dismissed for just 101 runs as they chased South Africa’s 205 — handing the Proteas a win that will significantly boost their net run rate in their bid to make it out of Group 1 and into the knockouts phase.  

If Rossouw and De Kock can continue this kind of form, backed by the blistering bowling attack, then South Africa are going to prove a force to be reckoned with in Australia. DM