Bangladesh’s national men’s cricket team made history when they clinched the ODI series (2-1) against the hosts in South Africa for the first time since playing their first limited-overs match there in 2002. However, Bangladesh’s performance in the Test series was very poor. They were whitewashed (2-0) by a second-string Proteas Test side. Some of the Bangladeshi players’ performances on the South Africa trip were eye-catching. Let’s take a look at the top five performers from Bangladesh’s squad for the SA vs BAN 2022 series.
Bangladesh’s top five performers in the SA vs BAN 2022 series
Bangladesh played a total of five matches against South Africa in the just-concluded trip. Three of them were limited-overs matches, while the other two were Test matches. Most of the players from Bangladesh had a good outing in the ODI format as they managed to beat the Proteas in the series. On the other hand, only a couple of players had a good outing in the Test series. Let’s find out the Bangladesh players who impressed everyone with their performances.
Tamim Iqbal
Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal silenced his critics by creating history in South Africa. The Tamim-led team overcame a full-strength Proteas limited-overs side twice in the 3-match series. Tamim was praised for his leadership aptitude, ability to handle pressure in difficult situations and, more importantly, his decision-making on the field was very effective. So, Tamim’s performance as a captain was one of the best for Bangladesh during the trip. Besides, he was the top scorer in the ODI series with 129 runs.
Taskin Ahmed
Taskin Ahmed has been a revolutionary bowler ever since he returned to the Bangladesh national side in 2021. His performance at home and away has been so consistent, and the South Africa series is no different. The tall right-hand pacer bagged 8 wickets with an average of 14 in the ODI series, including a 5-wicket haul in the crucial series decider.
Taskin was awarded Player of the Series for his brilliant contribution with the ball. He played the first Test and bagged 2 wickets at a 2.73 economy rate. Taskin missed the second Test due to an injury, but he was one of the shining stars of Bangladesh during the South Africa trip.
Mahmudul Hasan Joy
Bangladesh’s young and talented opener, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, played an outstanding knock in the first innings of the first Test. His 137-run innings helped Bangladesh score close to 300. Had Mahmudul not played that knock, Bangladesh could have failed to avoid the follow-on. Because no other batter made even fifty, except Mahmudul’s very patient batting effort. Joy failed to emulate his performance in the rest of the innings of the series, but no one can deny the fact that it was a special performance among the Bangladeshi players.
Taijul Islam
The left-arm spinner, Taijul Islam, was overlooked for the first Test and it was a bad decision. Taijul was picked for the second match, and his bowling performance was outstanding. Taijul bowled a marathon spell in the first innings and picked up six wickets. He also bagged three more wickets in the second innings and finished the match with a figure of 9/202. Taijul achieved multiple milestones with his performance, including a 150 Test wicket haul.
Shakib Al Hasan
For family reasons, ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan didn’t play in the Test series. But Shakib’s all-round contributions in the ODI series helped Bangladesh dominate the South African side. Shakib played a very crucial match-winning 77-run knock in the first ODI and also picked up three important wickets in the series. His presence in the squad boosted the confidence of the Bangladesh players, which was reflected in their on-field performance.
Aftermath
Bangladesh played very well as a team and they were the dominant side in the limited-overs contest. Among the players, pacer Taskin Ahmed and two veterans, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan, made important contributions that helped Bangladesh win the ODI series. But the best performance of the trip came from Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s willow. His 137-run knock in the first innings of the first Test is arguably one of the best in Bangladesh Test cricket history. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam’s performance in the second Test was also noteworthy.
The players who excelled for Bangladesh in the SA vs BAN 2022 series have gained a great deal of confidence, which will help them perform even better on future overseas tours. The good news is that Bangladeshi players’ performances in difficult foreign conditions have been improving steadily.