Andile Simelane took five wickets to help SA Emerging Men claim a series-levelling 10-run win over Bangladesh Emerging in the second one-day match in Rajshahi.
The fast bowler finished with 5-56, including back-to-back wickets with what turned out to be the last two deliveries of the match, as the visitors clawed their way back from being close to defeat to snatch an impressive win.
Connor Esterhuizen and Dian Forrester had earlier struck blistering 90s that helped the tourists power their way to 332-7 with Andile Mokgakane (55) also hitting a half-century.
But the telling moments of the game came in the final six overs when the home side were cruising towards victory on 291-4 and needing just over 40 runs from the final five overs with centurion Akbar Ali driving them on 131 (110 balls, 14 fours, two sixes).
However, Simelane had other ideas and altered the course of the game to make it 1-1 and set up a series decider at the same venue on Friday.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the South Africans lost two wickets inside the opening 12 overs as Meeka-eel Prince (30) and Ntando Zuma (11) were dismissed by Mahfuzur Rabby (2-75) before the 50 was raised.
But Mokgakane and Esterhuizen (91 off 68 balls; nine fours, three sixes), who also made a half-century in the first game, rebuilt expertly. The former acted more of an anchor with his 63-ball innings (five fours, one six), though he still produced a free-flowing strike rate of 87.30, with the latter tearing into the bowling with his second successive half-century.
The two put on a third-wicket stand of 137 to put their side in the ascendancy shortly after the 30-over mark.
Both then fell in quick succession to Maruf Mridha (2-65) as the hosts hit back. However, Forrester (96* off 59 balls; seven fours, six sixes) was in outstanding form as he seized control of proceedings with his whirlwind performance that powered the visitors for the rest of the innings.
George van Heerden (12) hung around to offer some support, but it was all-rounder Forrester that was outstanding as he helped set a target of 333.
The Bangladesh chase had some bumps in the first 14 overs when Tshepo Ntuli (2-56) struck twice to leave them on 8403 – Jishan Alam the main contributor early on with 50 off 34 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes).
Nqobani Mokoena (3-52) took the other wicket, before Ali, Ariful Islam (35) and Rizwan Chowdhury (37) combined to put them on course for victory.
But when Mokoena broke the fifth-wicket stand at 96 by removing dangerman Ali, the door opened and the South Africans barged their way through.
They then struck in the 46th, 47th and 48th overs, before Simelane’s double left the hosts all out for 322 with two balls to spare.
