T20 World Cup, South Africa vs Bangladesh: Fantasy 11 Prediction, teams, captain, vice-captain, toss and venue analysis

South Africa and Bangladesh will lock horns in what will be a massive Group D encounter in New York on Monday. The Proteas have won both their matches – significantly in New York – with their bowlers setting up the victory. Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka in Dallas in their tournament opener in what was their first win against their arch-rivals in a T20 World Cup. A win for South Africa will all but guarantee them a place in the Super 8s. On the other hand, if Bangladesh triumph, it will severely reduce Sri Lanka’s chances of making the next round. The encounter will test the batting line-ups of both the teams. South Africa will have to contend with the Bangladeshi spinners while Bangladesh will have their task cut out against a formidable fast bowling unit of the Proteas. South Africa have dominated this rivalry. But this is a tournament of upsets. Can Bangladesh script history?

Likely Playing XIs

Both Bangladesh and South Africa are expected to go in with their winning combinations. Bangladesh is packed with all-rounders while South Africa has the most destructive middle-order in the competition.

Bangladesh likely XI

Batters – Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy

All-Rounders – Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain

Wicketkeeper – Litton Das

Bowlers – Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman

South Africa likely XI

Batters – Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller

All-Rounders – Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj

Wicketkeeper – Quinton de Kock

Bowlers – Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman

Last Five Matches

BANGLADESH – LLLWW

SOUTH AFRICA – LLLWW

Player Statistics (Bangladesh)

1. Mahmudullah

Mahmudullah is a veteran in Bangladesh cricket who often rescues his team from difficult situations batting in the lower-middle order. He has scored 379 runs in 27 T20 WC matches.

MAHMUDULLAH IN T20 WORLD CUPS

2. Mustafuzur Rahman

Mustafizur Rahman will cause problems in the powerplay against the SA right-handers. Fizz is a wicket-taker and has bagged 23 wickets in just 16 World Cup matches at an excellent strike rate of 15.6.

MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN IN T20 WORLD CUPS

Players who can make a Difference (Bangladesh)

1. Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib is amongst the best all-rounders in white-ball cricket history and the greatest Bangladeshi player ever! He has an aggregate of 2448 runs and has picked 146 wickets in 123 T20I matches. Shakib has the ability to raise his game on the biggest stage. His left-arm orthodox will be more than a handful on the helpful wicket in New York.

2. Towhid Hridoy

Towhid Hridoy is an exciting young talent in the Bangladeshi batting line-up who scored a match-changing 40 off just 20 deliveries in the win against Sri Lanka. Hridoy has this special ability to clear the ropes and a strike rate of 145 against pace in T20I cricket.

Player Statistics (South Africa)

1. Aiden Markram

Markram is the playmaker for South Africa in the middle-order. He has scored 273 runs in 11 T20 World Cup innings at an average of 30 and strike rate of 132. Markram is an excellent player of spin and will be key in the middle-order for South Africa.

AIDEN MARKRAM IN T20 WORLD CUPS

2. Anrich Nortje

Anrich Nortje is in red-hot form in the tournament and has already picked six wickets in two matches at an average of 4.3. He also has a fine record against Bangladesh. Nortje’s pace and accuracy could prove lethal for Bangladesh with the new ball. He has a phenomenal record in T20 World Cups.

ANRICH NORTJE IN T20 WORLD CUPS

Players who can make a Difference (South Africa)

1. Heinrich Klaasen

Klaasen is widely regarded as the most destructive finisher in white-ball cricket in the world. He is particularly severe against spin and has a strike rate of 158 against the slower bowlers. Klaasen’s battle with Shakib, Mahmudullah and the other Bangladeshi spin brigade will define the outcome of the match on Monday. Klaasen was in great form in IPL 2024 where he slammed 479 runs at a rate of 171!

2. Tristan Stubbs

Stubbs is another devastating South African batter capable of annihilating any bowling attack in the world. Stubbs was in imperial form in IPL 2024 where he blasted 378 runs in just 198 deliveries at a strike rate of 191.

Team Head to Head

South Africa has dominated Bangladesh in T20Is and have an 8-0 head to head record. It is the same story in T20 World Cups too where South Africa have been victorious in all three encounters against Bangladesh.

MATCHES BANGLADESH WON SOUTH AFRICA WON

Player Head to Head

1. QUINTON DE KOCK vs MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN IN T20Is

INNINGS – 2

BALLS FACED – 15

RUNS SCORED – 15

STRIKE RATE – 100

DISMISSALS – 0

2. DAVID MILLER vs SHAKIB AL HASAN IN T20Is

INNINGS – 3

BALLS FACED – 9

RUNS SCORED – 8

STRIKE RATE – 88.9

DISMISSALS – 1

3. SOUMYA SARKAR vs ANRICH NORTJE IN T20Is

INNINGS – 1

BALLS FACED – 1

RUNS SCORED – 0

STRIKE RATE – 0

DISMISSALS – 1

Venue and Pitch

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York has hosted five matches out of which three have been won by the team batting second. Not surprising the team which has won the toss has opted to chase here on four occasions. The team batting first has been bundled out for less than 100 on two occasions while the average score batting first is 106/9 – the lowest amongst all venues so far in the 2024 T20 World Cup! The average score in the second innings is 104/5. India defended 119 against Pakistan in New York on Sunday which was the joint-lowest total ever defended in T20 World Cup cricket!

The wicket is a paradise for the bowlers with the toughest conditions for batting in the tournament. No team has crossed 150 batting first in New York! It is a dream wicket for the pacers who will get a lot of swing and seam especially with the new ball. The wicket has come under some criticism too due to its two-paced nature and unpredictability! The ball is sometimes bouncing awkwardly off a length while keeping low at other times. Pacers have accounted for 84.6% wickets at the venue at an average of 15, strike rate of 16 and economy of 5.6. The mean temperature will be in the early 20s but it might be slightly overcast.

Match Prediction

South Africa will be hot favourites to win. They have a great fast bowling unit which will make life difficult on a treacherous New York wicket. Nortje and Rabada might just run through the Bangladeshi batting line-up. South Africa also have a destructive batting unit which will be too hot to handle for the Bangladeshi bowlers. Bangladesh’s only hope is their spinners. South Africa start the encounter with a 75% chance of victory.

Fantasy XI

And finally, this is our Fantasy XI for the BANGLADESH vs SOUTH AFRICA encounter. We have 7 players from SOUTH AFRICA and 4 from BANGLADESH. De Kock and Sarkar will open. Middle-order will have Miller, Klaasen, Hridoy and Stubbs. All rounders include Shakib and Jansen whereas the bowling line up comprises Nortje, Rabada and Mustafizur.

Backup players are Markram as batter, Taskin Ahmed as bowler and Keshav Maharaj as all-rounder.

Fantasy XI

Openers: QUINTON DE KOCK, SOUMYA SARKAR

Batters: DAVID MILLER, HEINRICH KLAASEN, TOWHID HRIDOY, TRISTAN STUBBS

All-rounders: SHAKIB AL HASAN, MARCO JANSEN

Bowlers: ANRICH NORTJE, KAGISO RABADA, MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN

Backup Players:

Batter – Aiden Markram

Bowler – Taskin Ahmed

All-rounder – Keshav Maharaj