South Africa defeated Bangladesh by just four runs in another low-scoring game at the T20 World Cup on Monday, a result likely to spark fresh debate over the suitability of the pitch being used in New York. South Africa were restricted to 113-6 in their 20 overs with Heinrich Klaasen top-scoring on 46 while fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib returned a career-best 3-18. However, Bangladesh could only manage 109-7 in reply as South Africa wrapped up a third win in three Group D games.

“It was not a nice one to watch, it was good that the boys got it over the line,” said Klaasen. “The wicket is not too great for strokeplay.” 

Chasing just 114 to win on the controversial drop-in strip at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh initially struggled in the face of the Proteas’ pace battery.

They were 50-4 at the 10-over mark having lost Tanzid Hasan (nine) to Kagiso Rabada while Anrich Nortje accounted for skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (14) and Shakib Al Hasan (three). Spinner Keshav Maharaj sent back Liton Das for just nine.

However, Towhid Hridoy, who top-scored with 40 when Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka in their opener, and 38-year-old Mahmudullah steadied the ship for the Tigers.

The pair put on 44 for the fifth wicket before Hridoy was lbw to Rabada for 37, an innings which took up 34 balls and featured two fours and two sixes. Bangladesh took seven off the penultimate over but still needed 11 off the last to be bowled by Maharaj.

That became seven off four balls. With the pressure building both Jaker Ali and Mahmudullah were caught by Aiden Markram going for big heaves over long on.

Needing six off the final ball, Taskin Ahmed could only produce a scrambled single.

‘Should have won’

“I think this is a match we should have won. In the last couple of overs they bowled well, but this can happen in cricket,” said Shanto.

Earlier, Bangladesh restricted South Africa to 113-6 with Tanzim backed up by Taskin’s 2-19 after Proteas skipper Markram won the toss and opted to bat. South Africa were struggling at 23-4 at one stage before Klaasen and David Miller, celebrating his 35th birthday, came to their team’s rescue with a partnership of 79 for the fifth wicket.

Klaasen’s 46 came off 44 balls with two fours and three sixes before he was clean-bowled by Taskin, slogging across the line in the 18th over with the score on 102.

Miller, who made a match-winning undefeated 59 in the nervy win over the Netherlands, went four runs later, bowled by Rishad Hossain.

His innings of 29 came from 38 deliveries with a boundary and one six. The Proteas had been 12-4 against the Dutch on the same pitch on Saturday.

On Monday, they were quickly four down for just 23 runs in the fifth over thanks to Tanzim and Taskin. Tanzim, playing in only his eighth T20 international, started the collapse, having out-of-form opener Reeza Hendricks lbw for nought off his first ball.

Star batsman Quinton de Kock was the next to go, clean-bowled by the 21-year-old for 18 with the total on 19. Taskin uprooted the stumps of Markram (four) before Tanzim grabbed the third of his opening spell when he forced Tristan Stubbs to spoon a catch to Shakib Al Hasan in the covers without scoring.

Miller could have been dismissed on 13 but wicket-keeper Liton Das dropped an edge off Mahmudullah’s first ball.

With South Africa virtually certain of a place in the second round Super Eight phase, Bangladesh, with two points, are still well-placed to join them.