Rabada's Fiery Fifer Leaves Bangladesh in Trouble
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, often a key player for Bangladesh, could not withstand Rabada's relentless pace and bounce, becoming yet another victim of the fast bowler’s fierce spell. Rabada then sent Mahidul Islam back to the pavilion without scoring, and it appeared that South Africa might enforce the follow-on in the morning itself.
Kagiso Rabada's remarkable bowling performance continued to haunt Bangladesh as he took his second consecutive five-wicket haul of the series, helping South Africa put the hosts in a precarious position during the second Test in Chattogram. At lunch on the third day, Bangladesh found themselves struggling at 137 for 8, facing a daunting lead of 438 runs set by the South African team.
The day began poorly for Bangladesh, who were already reeling after being reduced to 48 for 8 very early in the session. Rabada was the architect of Bangladesh's collapse, striking decisively to dismiss captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who edged a delivery behind to the wicketkeeper. Veteran batsman Mushfiqur Rahim followed suit shortly after, giving away his wicket to Dane Paterson with a careless flick that went straight to short mid-wicket.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, often a key player for Bangladesh, could not withstand Rabada's relentless pace and bounce, becoming yet another victim of the fast bowler’s fierce spell. Rabada then sent Mahidul Islam back to the pavilion without scoring, and it appeared that South Africa might enforce the follow-on in the morning itself.
However, Mominul Haque provided a glimmer of hope for the Bangladeshi side, digging in alongside Taijul Islam to form an unbroken partnership of 89 runs that brought some stability to the innings. The pitch, which had initially offered plenty of assistance to the bowlers, seemed to ease up a bit, allowing the duo to build a resistance that the team desperately needed. Despite their efforts, Bangladesh still faced an uphill battle, needing another 239 runs to avoid the follow-on, a feat that looked increasingly improbable as they fought to recover from the early onslaught.
As the session came to a close, the situation remained dire for the home side, who needed to muster a substantial effort to stay in the contest.
The pressure is firmly on Bangladesh as they look to avoid further humiliation and find a way back into the match against a dominant South African side.
