Tigers taste second worst defeat in their Test history

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 31 (Agencies): On a day when Ban-gladesh Women's football team, returned home to hero's welcome after winning the SAFF Championship, Bangladesh male cricket team produced one of the most shocking performances to taste an ignominious defeat to South Africa in the second and final cricket Test at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Thursday.

The Tigers, as it was called, lost 16 wickets in a single day in shambolic fashion to suffer an innings and 273 runs defeat inside three days. This was their second worst defeat in their history, only behind an innings and 310 runs defeat to the West Indies in 2002.

It was Bangladesh's 46th innings defeat in 148 Test matches. It is the ninth time that South Africa have beaten Bangladesh by an innings in just 16 Tests. Keshav Maharaj's five-wicket haul sealed South Africa's thrashing of Bangladesh by an innings and 273 runs inside three days of the second Test, giving the tourists a 2-0 series sweep.

Bangladesh were all out for 143 in Chattogram after being put straight back in to bat by the Proteas, a single session after ending their first innings on 159.

Left-arm spinner Maharaj took 5-59, after fast bowler Kagiso Rabada posted 5-37 from just nine overs in the first innings. It was South Africa's biggest Test win, surpassing their innings and 254-run victory over Bangladesh at home in 2017.

South Africa registered their record Test win as they thrashed Bangladesh within three days to remain on track for the World Test Championship final. The win moves South Africa to fourth in the World Test Champi-onship standings, but victories in their four home Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan between now and January would see them qualify for June's final at Lord's.