Bangladesh vs South Africa, BAN vs SA 2024, Today Match Prediction

BAN vs RSA Match Prediction & Analysis

Bangladesh are gearing up to welcome South Africa for an exciting two-match Test series starting this Monday. The opening Test is set to be held in Dhaka, followed by the second match in Chattogram. Both teams view this series as crucial in their quest for a World Test Championship finals spot. Bangladesh sits seventh in the WTC standings, while South Africa currently holds the fifth position. A successful series for either team could significantly enhance their chances of reaching the finals.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Bangladesh Preview

Bangladesh are coming into this Test series after a crushing 0-2 loss to India. While they beat Pakistan comfortably a couple of months back, India proved to be a much tougher challenge. However, now that they are playing at home, they will be a lot more confident in turning things around. 

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is expected to lead from the front. The left-hander has been in form and has scored 682 runs in the last 10 matches at an average of 36.

Mominul Haque, fresh off an unbeaten hundred against India, is another one to watch out for. The middle-order thrives in these conditions and is expected to make a mark in this series.

We also expect crucial runs from the vastly experienced Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim.

The pitch is expected to be spin-friendly, so expect the likes of Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to bowl the most number of overs in this match. They will be quite a handful against South Africa’s batters, who aren’t good players of spin.

Fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud will be expected to make early breakthroughs. 

Key Players: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam

Bangladesh Predicted Playing XI:

Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nayeem Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Hasan Murad

Bangladesh Actual Playing XI:

Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shadman Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Hasan Mahmud, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam

South Africa Preview

Temba Bavuma has unfortunately been sidelined for the first Test due to an injury. In his absence, Aiden Markram will take the helm as captain for South Africa in this opening match.

Markram is a key player in this squad, as he is their best player of spin. The right-handed batter has 501 runs in his last 6 matches at an average of 46 and will be looking to lead from the front in this match.

With Bavuma unavailable, the onus will be on the likes of Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs along with captain Markram to provide the team with a solid start. 

David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, and Wiaan Mulder will be the key figures in the middle-order. They don’t have a lot of experience of playing in these conditions and might struggle to get big scores.

The experienced Keshav Maharaj will be South Africa’s main weapon in this series. The left-arm spinner has a wealth of experience and will certainly pose challenges to the Bangladeshi batters. He will get some solid support from off-spinner Dane Piedt.

Kagiso Rabada is also expected to provide some early strikes and is likely to share the new ball with Dane Paterson.

Key Players: Aiden Markram, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada

South Africa Predicted Playing XI:

Aiden Markram (c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Senuran Muthusamy, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Piedt, Dane Paterson

South Africa Actual Playing XI:

Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Verreynne, Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium is likely to heavily favor spin. The ball is expected to stay low and start turning from the first day itself. As the match goes on, the spin will become more pronounced, and batting will become even more difficult. Both teams will be looking to make a big score in their first innings to keep themselves in a comfortable position. Seamers won’t get much help here, apart from when the ball is new.

The weather in Dhaka for the match will be mostly cloudy for most of the five days. There are chances of a few showers on the first day of the Test, which might delay the start. 

BAN vs RSA Pitch Report

The average first innings score at the Shere Bangla National Stadium is 328. The team batting first in this Test will strive to reach that mark. The third and fourth innings will be the most difficult period to bat here.

Toss: To Bowl

The team winning the toss will certainly look to bat first. Getting a big score in the first innings will be crucial here because the wicket will deteriorate by the third day onwards. So both teams will look to bat first here.