Bangladesh Denied Victory as Rain Forces Draw in Unofficial Test Against South Africa Emerging

Bangladesh Emerging team’s hopes of sealing victory in the second and final four-day unofficial Test against South Africa Emerging were washed away—quite literally—by relentless rain. With Bangladesh firmly in control, the match ended in a draw after the final two days saw no play due to unrelenting showers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

As a result, the two-match series ended without a clear winner.

Batting first, the hosts laid a solid foundation in the opening innings despite a shaky start. The standout performers were Iftakher Hossain Ifthi, who struck a commanding 109, and Moin Khan, who narrowly missed a century with a well-crafted 91. Their composed and responsible batting powered Bangladesh to a formidable total. Contributions from Mehidy Hasan, Ripon Mondol, and Rakibul Hasan added further strength to the scoreboard.

The innings wasn’t without drama. A heated exchange between Ripon Mondol and South African batter Innocent Ntuli injected tension and energy into the field, briefly shifting attention from the cricketing action to the verbal confrontation.

Bangladesh carried their momentum into the bowling innings, with their bowlers dismantling South Africa's top order. By the time rain arrived, the visitors had lost six wickets for just 150 runs. Rakibul Hasan’s consistent line and length, combined with Ripon Mondol’s pace and aggression, proved too difficult for the South African batters to handle.

However, just as Bangladesh looked poised to force a result, nature intervened. Continuous rainfall over the final two days prevented any further play, prompting match officials to declare the game a draw.

Despite the disappointing end, the Bangladesh Emerging team can take pride in a dominant performance. While the series remained undecided, the hosts clearly had the upper hand before the weather played spoilsport.