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Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh Captain): "We lost as a team and aren't blaming any individual players; the loss reflects our collective performance. It's important to acknowledge the positives—despite being 200 runs behind, Mehidy Hasan Miraz displayed tremendous character to help us bounce back. We haven't consistently done that in the past, which makes it significant. As a batting unit, we need to take responsibility when facing the new ball, and the same goes for our bowlers. A collective team effort is essential."

Player of the Match: Kyle Verreynne

Kyle Verreynne (Player of the Match): "The message has been consistent over the past couple of months—back your options and stay positive. That's exactly what Wiaan and I aimed to do, making sure we made the right decisions. This being my first Test match in the subcontinent, it was a new challenge, but our preparation leading into the series has been solid. The batting unit, in particular, is feeling very confident. In the subcontinent, where things can change quickly, partnerships are crucial. It was all about building those partnerships and making sure they turn into significant ones."

Aiden Markram (South Africa Captain): "It was a very good performance, as we put together four solid days of cricket. We built crucial partnerships with the bat in the first innings, which helped us secure a strong lead. Credit to Bangladesh for batting well and putting up a good total. Losing the toss actually worked in our favor, and the way the boys bowled and took wickets was impressive. There are always risks of losing quick wickets, and there are important lessons to take from both innings. We'll carry those learnings forward and aim not to repeat the mistakes in the next game. KG (Rabada) is a good bowler, and Verreynne’s century was especially meaningful, considering he's new to the team and batted so well in challenging subcontinent conditions."

STAT ATTACK: - This is South Africa’s first Test victory in the subcontinent since their 153-run triumph over Sri Lanka in Galle back in 2014. - Their last Test victory in Bangladesh came in Chattogram in 2008, where they won by an innings and 205 runs. That match featured a world-record opening partnership of 415 between Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie.

South Africa's successful run-chases in Tests in Asia (by target): 205 vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2008 163 vs India, Mumbai WS, 2000 106 vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2024*

WTC Scenario: - South Africa's victory has moved them to fourth place in the WTC 2023/25 points table with a PCT of 47.61%. - Winning all five of their remaining Tests would boost their PCT to 69.44%, securing a top-two finish (assuming no points are deducted for slow over rates). - If they win four out of the five Tests, their PCT will rise to 61.11%, still giving them a strong chance for a top-two spot, depending on the results of India, Australia, and Sri Lanka.

That's all from this contest, folks! We hope you enjoyed our coverage. South Africa won the inaugural Test comprehensively and will aim to keep the momentum going in the final match of the 2-match series. On the other hand, Bangladesh will look to stage a comeback and end the series on a level term. For now, this is me Deepak Prakash, a text commentator signing off on behalf of our esteemed scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal. CHEERS!