South Africa will host Bangladesh for their first ODI, at Centurion Park, Gauteng, on Friday, March 18.
They had started the year in fine style, beating India in all three formats of the game. They then travelled to New Zealand for a two-match Test series. They won the first before slipping to a heavy loss in the second – as had Bangladesh just before them. Bangladesh's Test match win, in fact, was easily their most important outside the Indian subcontinent.
A home ODI series last month against Afghanistan proved more comfortable for Bangladesh. They won all three matches easily before drawing the T20Is 1-1.
The last time that Bangladesh toured South Africa in 2017, they were thrashed in the Test series, and the ODIs scarcely went any better for them. They did, though, beat South Africa in the 2019 World Cup, at The Oval.
Early weather forecasts are that it might be cloudy, and with the pitch typically favouring bowlers a low scoring match might be in prospect, The average scores at Centurion Park are between 230 and 250, so the likelihood of any batter making a big score look slim.
Instead, the conditions would seem to favour the South African fast bowlers. The pair of Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada will be relishing at the prospect of laying down an early marker for the matches to come between these two sides.
South Africa have already reconciled to losing some of their best players for the Test series, after they were asked to choose between playing for their country, or heading off to India to play for their IPL franchises. The decision was unanimous in favour of the IPL, so the ODIs will be the best chance home fans will get to see their side at its strongest.
Likely XIs
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Keshav Maharaj (vc), Quinton de Kock (wk), Zubayr Hamza, Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne.
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal (c), Liton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Yasir Ali, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.
Fantasy tips
- Pick Shakib. He gets both batting and bowling points.
- Among wicketkeepers, pick both de Kock and Rahim.
- Rabada and Mustafizur are safe bets among bowlers.