Bangladesh Struggles in Response to South Africa's Massive Total
During the match, Ryan Rickelton was the sole wicket to fall in the second session, caught behind off Nahid Rana’s delivery while attempting a shot, finishing with 12 runs. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam provided Bangladesh with a glimmer of hope in the morning session, claiming three wickets in a span of three overs and achieving his second five-wicket haul of the series.
Bangladesh faced a rocky start in their second innings, stumbling to 38-4 in reply to South Africa's formidable first innings total of 575-6 on the second day of the second Test in Chattogram. The hosts were in dire straits as bad light brought play to an early close, leaving Mominul Haque and Najmul Hossain Shanto to resume their efforts on Thursday, trailing by 537 runs.
The day belonged to South Africa, who celebrated maiden Test centuries for three of their batsmen, notably Tony de Zorzi, who scored an impressive 177 runs before being dismissed just before lunch. The South African batting lineup showcased dominance, with Kagiso Rabada making an immediate impact in the second innings by dismissing Shadman Islam for a duck in the first over after the change, as the left-hander edged a delivery down the leg side.
Zakir Hasan quickly followed suit, falling to Rabada for just two runs as he edged a length ball outside off to the wicketkeeper. Mahmudul Hasan Joy managed to top-score for Bangladesh with 10 runs but succumbed to a delivery from Dane Paterson, thick-edging to Aiden Markram at second slip. Hasan Mahmud, coming in as a nightwatchman, faced Keshav Maharaj’s sharp turn and was dismissed without scoring.
South Africa's first innings total of 575-6 stands as their second-highest against Bangladesh, only trailing their 583-7 recorded at the same venue in 2008. Wiaan Mulder, alongside De Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs, reached his maiden Test century on a pitch that offered minimal assistance to bowlers. The innings concluded with Senuran Muthusamy remaining unbeaten on 68 runs off 75 balls, marking his best Test performance.
During the match, Ryan Rickelton was the sole wicket to fall in the second session, caught behind off Nahid Rana’s delivery while attempting a shot, finishing with 12 runs. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam provided Bangladesh with a glimmer of hope in the morning session, claiming three wickets in a span of three overs and achieving his second five-wicket haul of the series. He dismissed David Bedingham, who made a brisk 59 off 78 balls, and later took the key wicket of De Zorzi, trapping him lbw and leaving South Africa at 391-4.
De Zorzi’s innings featured four sixes and 12 fours across 269 balls, underscoring his significant contribution to the South African total. Bangladesh has struggled historically in Chattogram, with only two wins in their 24 Tests played at the venue, further highlighting the challenge they face in this series.
South Africa had previously secured victory in the opening Test within four days, with Rabada's impressive performance yielding 6-46 in Bangladesh’s second innings. As Bangladesh seeks to recover from their early setbacks, the remainder of the match promises to be a test of resilience against a strong South African side.
