Sports

Rabada claims hat-trick in SA win

Rabada claims hat-trick in SA win

By Agence France Presse

South Africa's Kagiso Rabada celebrates after taking a wicket of Bangladesh's Mohammad Mahmudullah during the first ODI match in Dhaka on Friday. Photo: AFP

DHAKA, July 11 Kagiso Rabada became only the second man in history to claim a hat-trick on debut as South Africa thrashed Bangladesh by eight wickets in a rain-hit first one-day international in Dhaka on Friday. Rabada finished with 6-16, the best ever one-day haul by a debutante, as Bangladesh were folded 160 in 36.3 overs after the hosts opted to bat first on a rain-soaked pitch. Set a simple target, South Africa coasted without major hiccups, reaching 164-2 with nearly nine overs in hand to take 1-0 lead in three-match series. Faf du Plessis made an unbeaten 63 from 75 balls and put 99 runs with Rilee Rossouw in an unbroken third wicket stand after early dismissals of stand-in captain Hashim Amla (14) and Quinton de Kock (35). Rossouw (45 not out) completed the win when he cut part-time Sabbir Rahman for a four towards point. The match was reduced to a 40-over-a-side affair after monsoon downpour delayed the start of play for two hours and 40 minutes. Rabada struck in the third ball of his second over when he sent the off-stump of Tamim Iqbal cartwheeling. He then made one-down Litton Das offer a low catch to Farhaan Behardien at midwicket and trapped Mahmudullah lbw in his next two deliveries to complete the hat-trick. The 20-year-old pacer later dismissed opener Soumya Sarkar before Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim provided a brief resistance for Bangladesh with 53-run fifth wicket stand. Shakib top-scored 48 runs for the home side facing 51 balls while Rahim added 24. Rabada returned in his second spell to add the wickets of Mashrafe Mortaza and Jubair Hossain to shatter the best ODI debut wicket-taking record held by West Indies’ Fidel Edwards. Edwards claimed 6-22 against Zimbabwe in 2003. Rabada is the first South African to bag six wickets on debut and only the second South African bowler to claim five wickets in his first ODI match.