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Bangladesh crush SA to win ODI series

By The Assam Tribune

CHITTAGONG, July 16: Opener Soumya Sarkar and Tamim Iqbal hit half-centuries as Bangladesh drubbed South Africa by nine wickets in the third and final one-day international to take the three-match series 2-1 in Chittagong yesterday.

Soumya, fresh from his unbeaten 88 in the series equalling second match, scored 90 and Tamim added an unbeaten 61 as Bangladesh raced to 170-1 after the home bowlers had restricted the mighty Proteas to 168-9 in a rain-hit game. The first series win over the world cricket heavyweights continues minnows Bangladesh�s coming-of-age party, capping another historic success for Mashrafe Mortaza�s men after their maiden appearance in the World Cup quarter-final and successive series wins over India and Pakistan earlier this year.

Soumya led the batting charge with his stroke-filled 75-ball innings, which included 13 fours and a six, with local boy Tamim playing the role of an anchor in their 154-run opening stand.

�After losing the first match, it was difficult to come back in the second,� said Mortaza.

Bangladesh bounced back from eight-wicket mauling in the first match to win the second by seven wickets.

�The boys played brilliantly in the third match,� Mortaza said. �The way Soumya was batting was nice to see. Mustafiz(ur) has become a very good fast bowler. Tamim showed his character. It was brilliant,� he added.

The match was reduced to 40-over-a-side as rain at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium halted play midway through the South African innings for nearly three hours.

Bangladesh were given a target of 170 runs according the Duckworth/Lewis Method, and they achieved it comfortably with 83 balls to spare.

One-down Litton Das hit the winning boundary after Soumya was dismissed when the victory was just a formality. Hashim Amla took the catch at short-cover off legspinner Imran Tahir. � AFP

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