Keshav Maharaj, the South African spinner, expressed confidence in his team's ability to assert their dominance in the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Despite Bangladesh's resilient fightback on Day Three, finishing at 283 for 7 after a strong 138-run partnership between Mehidy Hasan and Jaker Ali, Maharaj believes South Africa remains in a favourable position.
The hosts recovered well after initially facing a precarious situation, taking an 81-run lead into the fourth day with Mehidy unbeaten at 87. The looming threat of rain, due to weather conditions in the Bay of Bengal, adds uncertainty to the match, yet Maharaj remains undeterred. "Conditions improved slightly for them, but we still have three wickets in hand, so we're in a good spot," he noted.
Maharaj acknowledged Bangladesh's commendable performance but emphasised South Africa's resolve. He highlighted the need to curb Bangladesh's scoring and expressed hope of restricting them to under 100 runs.
In response, Bangladesh's spin bowling coach, Mushtaq Ahmed, urged his players to draw inspiration from their previous successful comeback against Pakistan, where they triumphed from a seemingly hopeless position. Mushtaq highlighted the importance of belief and teamwork in overcoming challenging situations, while newly appointed batting coach Phil Simmons is gradually acclimating to the team’s dynamics. As the match progresses, both sides remain eager to secure a pivotal victory.