NEW DELHI: Kyle Verreynne etched his name into the history books by becoming the first South African wicket-keeper to score a Test century on Bangladeshi soil.
His landmark performance came on Tuesday during the opening Test in Dhaka as he surpassed Mark Boucher’s previous best knock of 71 by a South African keeper against Bangladesh in their home conditions.
Also Read: Live Cricket ScoreVerreynne, who has been an emerging talent for South Africa, reached the milestone in style and celebrated by bowing toward the team dugout.
This was the second Test hundred of his career, further cementing his reputation as a dependable middle-order batter.
Before this match, Verreynne had accumulated 719 runs in 18 Test matches, averaging 27.65, with one century to his name.
The wicket-keeper’s century proved pivotal as South Africa fought back from a challenging position, extending their lead to 202 runs by the end of the African batting on Day 2.
Verreynne found strong support from Wiaan Mulder, who struck a gritty 54 with eight boundaries, registering his maiden Test half-century.
Their crucial seventh-wicket partnership steadied South Africa after they resumed the day at 140/6, tackling Bangladesh’s spinners with smart sweeps and reverse sweeps.
In the first innings, Bangladesh’s batting faltered as they were bowled out for just 106 on Day 1, but Taijul Islam’s 5/49 kept the hosts in the contest. On Day 2, however, Taijul's spin was ineffective as he could not extend his wicket's tally but leaked around 73 runs more.
With Verreynne's 114, South Africa appear to be the favourites in this opening Test, with the second and final match of the series set to begin on October 29 in Chittagong.
The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less