The return of the premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan provides encouragement for Bangladesh ahead of a three-match ODI against South Africa starting at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley Sunday.

But Bangladesh was comprehensively defeated by the hosts in two Tests and now they will have to restrict the South African team strengthened by the inclusion of AB de Villiers, one of the world’s most flamboyant limited-overs batsmen.

Jp Duminy, who took the retirement from Tests, as he is still a lethal One-Day player. In the most recent one-day outings for both teams, Bangladesh reached the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy in England in June, while South Africa failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

In the last ODI between the two teams, Bangladesh was victorious against South Africa when they won a series at home in 2015. But the hosts will start strong favourites.

South Africa have won 14 of 17 ODIs against Bangladesh and reached victory in all six previous encounters in South Africa by convincing margins. Although Shakib’s return from a small holiday will encourage the visitors, they still depend mainly on the players who suffered two crushing Test defeats.

For South Africa, the series is the first step on a road to the 2019 World Cup as Faf du Plessis recently became the ODI skipper by replacing De Villiers.

SQUADS

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada

Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed.