Word Cup 2023, SA vs Ban: South Africa opts to bat as Shakib Al Hasan returns for Bangladesh

Word Cup 2023, SA vs Ban: In a crucial ICC World Cup 2023 match, South Africa's captain, Aiden Markram, won the toss and decided to take the batting stance against Bangladesh at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.

Quest for Second Spot

South Africa, with just a two-point gap behind New Zealand, aims to claim the second position. The Proteas also maintain a significantly superior net run rate compared to the Kiwis.

Captain Markram's Approach

Expressing his strategy, South Africa's skipper, Aiden Markram, said at the toss, "We will bat first. Trying to approach it in a similar way to the English game. It's really hot. It took a toll on everyone; it's an advantage of fielding in the evening. It proves that anyone can beat anyone. We took a lesson from that Netherlands game; it's a new day today. We need to try and repeat the same thing. Ngidi misses out, and Lizaad Williams comes in."

Bangladesh Skipper's Perspective

On the other side, Bangladesh's captain, Shakib Al Hasan, expressed his thoughts, "Fully fit. Hridoy is not playing; I come in the team for him. Today is an important game, we have to play our best cricket to win against SA. I don't mind bowling first. If we restrict them to a respectable total, we can chase it down."

Playing XI

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (w), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lizaad Williams

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (w), Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahmudullah, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud