South Africa showcased an all-round performance, keeping Bangladesh under pressure throughout the day.
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| Verreynne and Mulder continued their strong batting, with Mulder scoring his maiden fifty and Verreynne hitting a brilliant century, leading to a 202-run lead / Getty |
Day 2 of the Test between Bangladesh and South Africa ended prematurely due to bad light, with Bangladesh struggling at 55/3 after South Africa posted a commanding total.
The umpires decided to stop play after checking the light meter, marking stumps on an eventful day that saw South Africa dominate early and Bangladesh falter in their reply.
South Africa’s Lower Order Resilience
South Africa resumed their innings with Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder at the crease, looking to extend their lead. The duo quickly added crucial runs, with their partnership of 119 runs for the seventh wicket putting Bangladesh under pressure. Mulder was the first to fall on Day 2, scoring a steady 54 off 112 balls.
However, Verreynne continued to anchor South Africa’s innings, forming another key partnership with tail-ender Dane Piedt. The two added 66 more runs, frustrating the Bangladesh bowlers as the lead crossed the 200-run mark. Verreynne reached his second Test century in style, hitting two sixes after bringing up his milestone.
He eventually fell for a well-made 114 off 144 deliveries, which included 8 boundaries and 2 sixes. Piedt contributed 32 valuable runs to help push South Africa to 399 all out.
Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam, who took 5 wickets in the innings, was unable to make any breakthroughs on Day 2, while Hasan Mahmud and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took two wickets each.
Bangladesh’s Struggles in Reply
Facing a daunting 202-run deficit, Bangladesh’s reply got off to a nightmare start. South African pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada struck twice in quick succession, removing both openers—Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque—within four balls. This left Bangladesh reeling at 4/2.
Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudul Hasan Joy then attempted to rebuild the innings. They added 55 runs for the third wicket, with Shanto playing a patient knock of 23. However, his dismissal left Bangladesh in further trouble. Mushfiqur Rahim counter-attacked effectively, reaching 31 off just 26 balls before bad light halted play.
Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who survived a close stumping chance on the last ball of the day, remained unbeaten on 38 from 80 balls. Despite his efforts, Bangladesh ended the day still trailing by 101 runs, with seven wickets in hand.
Looking Ahead to Day 3
With three wickets already down, Bangladesh will need a strong effort from their remaining batsmen to avoid further damage. The match will resume 15 minutes early on Day 3 to make up for the overs lost due to bad light, with the action beginning at 9:00 AM IST (9:30 AM Local Time).
Score Summary:
- South Africa: 308 all out (Kyle Verreynne 114, Wiaan Mulder 54; Taijul Islam 5/94)
- Bangladesh: 106 & 101/3 at stumps (Mahmudul Hasan Joy 38*, Mushfiqur Rahim 31*; Kagiso Rabada 2/18)
Stay tuned for what promises to be a crucial Day 3, as Bangladesh look to mount a comeback and South Africa aim to capitalize on their strong position.