Listless Bangladesh Suffer Biggest Ever Defeat in T20 Cricket

Bangladesh suffered their biggest-ever defeat in T20 cricket history when they conceded a 104-run defeat to South Africa in their second game of the T20 World Cup at the historical Sydney Cricket Ground today. 

In a crucial game, where a victory could help them make a giant leap, the Tigers, as it was adorably called, were shot out for 101 in just 16.3 overs after South Africa put up a mammoth 205-5. The massive defeat wrecked Bangladesh's run rate also.

Rillee Rossouw and fast bowler Anrich Nortje were the wrecker-in-chief as they scripted Bangladesh's defeat with a marauding show. Rossouw became the first cricketer in T20 history to hit a back-to-back century, hitting his career-best 109 off 56 which put the side in dominating position.

Nortje also registered his career-best bowling, with a hostile bowling show that saw him claiming 4-10.

Nortje indeed intimidated Bangladesh with raw pace and bounce that was too tough to handle for the batters, who were also shaky in their approach, a thing that was instrumental in the side's only second loss by 100 runs margin. The previous biggest defeat of Bangladesh was by 102 runs against Pakistan in Karachi in 2008. 

Soumya Sarkar struck two back-to-back sixes in Kagiso Rabada's first over to send the expatriate Bangladeshi, who turned up in the stadium in abundance, in delirium. But he was undone by the pace when Nortje came to the attack. 

Nortje in fact dismissed both of the openers Najmul Hossain Shanto (9) and Soumya Sarkar (15).

He later signed off his first spell, dismissing captain Shakib Al Hasan for 1, leaving Bangladesh 39-3.

Rabada after his expensive first over, came back strongly to remove Afif Hossain for 1. 

Spinners-Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi took over the charge from the pacers and ripped through the middle order in a gem of spin bowling. 

Shamsi snapped up 3-20 while Maharaj snared 1-24 as they conceded just 44 runs in their eight overs.

Liton Das who was out as the eighth batter, top-scored for the side with 31 ball-34.

South Africa's score could have been bigger had Bangladesh not come back strongly in the last five overs. Led by Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh curbed the aggression of the South African batters in this period to take three wickets for just 34 runs.

Shakib who gave away 21 runs in his first over, bowled two overs in the death overs, to finally finish with 2-33. 

But the damage was done before that as Rossouw and Quinton de Kock put up a record breaking 163 runs of just 83 balls to pave a platform of huge total. This is now the highest partnership by any wicket in the T20 World Cup history. 

As South Africa chose to bat first, Bangladesh got the breakthrough in the first over when Taskin Ahmed forced Proteas captain Temba Bavuma edge behind the wicket for 2. 

But Bangladesh probably had to regret for dismissing Bavuma early. Rossouw came in and made impact immediately, taking Bangladeshi bowlers in sheer disdain. He hit the bowlers all corner of the park to bring up his fifty off just 30 balls. The next fifty came up off just 22 balls, meaning he played 52 balls for his second fifty.

Earlier before the World Cup, he got his maiden century against India and later didn't bat against Zimbabwe in South Africa's first game in T20 World Cup as the match was washed out due to rain. 

Quinton de Kock however matched the aggression of Rossouw to leave Bangladesh in further trouble. He raised his fifty off 34 balls, before going for more carnage. However he miscued one off Afif Hossain to be out for 63 off 38, an innings designed with seven fours and three sixes.

After his dismissal, Rossouw completed his century but denied going far as Bangladesh bowlers bowled well in tandem in the last powerplay to keep him tame. In a bid to rotate the scoreboard quickly, he played a forced shot off a wide delivery of Shakib to be out for 109 off 56. He smote seven fours and eight sixes in his knock. South Africa batter then were strangled but somehow managed to get past 200.