South Africa bat first, both teams bolster spin stocks

Toss South Africa chose to bat vs Bangladesh

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma decided to bat first after winning the toss against Bangladesh at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. The hour leading up to the toss was wet, and there’s more rain forecast around the venue during this match.

South Africa predictably dropped a fast bowler to make room for the extra spinner – Tabraiz Shamsi. Lungi Ngidi made way. Bangladesh, too, brought in Mehidy Hasan Miraz in place of middle-order batter Yasir Ali.

With the sun out, both captains appreciated the slightly warmer weather compared to chilly Hobart, where the teams played their previous matches.

South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Temba Bavuma (capt), 3 Rilee Rossouw, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 David Miller, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi

Bangladesh: 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 3 Litton Das, 4 Shakib Al Hasanv(capt), 5 Afif Hossain, 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Mustafizur Rahman