WATCH, BAN vs SA | Mushfiqur Rahim's halfhearted drive meets Rabada's fury as middle stump takes flight

ByDebayan Sinha, SportsCafe Editor

Yesterday at 1:11 PM

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A bowler's precision and tactics can create significant challenges for a batter, not just once but twice in a Test match. This was evident in the Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where Kagiso Rabada dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim in the first innings, sending his middle stump crashing.

‌Facing a substantial deficit, overnight batters Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Mushfiqur Rahim resumed their innings on the third day. However, their 46-run partnership was broken early when Kagiso Rabada dismissed Joy in the 32nd over. The main highlight came shortly after when Rabada struck again, dismissing Mushfiqur Rahim in a manner reminiscent of the first innings, as he shattered the middle stump.

On the third ball of the 32nd over, Kagiso Rabada bowled a fuller delivery that angled in towards Mushfiqur Rahim. The 37-year old aimed to drive the ball toward mid-off but misjudged his shot, playing around the delivery instead. The ball sneaked through the sizeable gap between his bat and pad, crashing into the middle stump. Rabada's teammates celebrated as he struck again, showcasing his skill with another unplayable delivery. This wicket put Rahim on the back foot for the second time in the match. The pressure continued to mount on Bangladesh as they struggled to build a stable innings in the face of Rabada's formidable bowling as he scalped two important wickets in an over.

Absolute Jaffa!