Tag: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe

Returning all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan claimed 4-35 to help Bangladesh recover from a batting collapse and beat Zimbabwe by five runs in Friday’s fourth Twenty20 international in Dhaka. 

Mustafizur Rahman chipped in with 3-19, helping Bangladesh out Zimbabwe for 138 runs in 19.4 overs.

Replying to a modest 143, Zimbabwe lost opener Brian Bennett for a duck in the first over and were quickly reduced to 57-4.

But they remained in contention after a middle-order rally, with Johnathan Campbell and Ryan Burl putting on a 35-run stand.

Mustafizur forced Burl to give a catch to Soumya Sarkar after making 19 runs, and Shakib took the wicket of Campbell for 31 to put Bangladesh on top.

Wellington Masakadza hit 19 runs from eight balls to take Zimbabwe close, only to go off the strike in the final over when Zimbabwe needed 14.

Shakib Al Hasan, who was playing his first T20I in nearly a year, dismissed Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava in the final over to wrap up the Zimbabwe innings.

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Sent in to bat after Zimbabwe won the toss, Bangladesh got off to a flying start when openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Soumya made a 101-run stand for the first wicket.

Luke Jongwe dismissed Tanzid for 52 off 37 balls to break the opening partnership and then Soumya fell in the same over for 41.

The hosts lost their remaining eight wickets for just 35 runs to be bowled out for the first time in the series.

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza sent back Towhid Hridoy for 12 before Bennett struck twice in the same over, dismissing Shakib for one.

Bangladesh had already clinched the series after sweeping the first three matches.

Zimbabwe wrap up their Bangladesh tour with the fifth and final match of the series in Dhaka on Sunday.

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Bangladesh on Wednesday recalled all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman for the final two T20Is of the five-match series against Zimbabwe.

Former captain Shakib has not played a T20 since July 2023 and was this year elected as a member of parliament for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ruling party.

Shakib has refused to draw the curtains on his cricket career, and his participation in this series is the strongest indication that he will compete in next month’s ICC T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

“We expect him to play in the World Cup. This is why he is back in the squad for this series,” Jalal Yunus, the cricket operations chief of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), told AFP.

Left-arm pace bowler Mustafizur was rested for the first three matches after returning from the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he was the season’s joint-highest wicket-taker for the Chennai Super Kings.

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Top-order batsman Soumya Sarkar also returned to the side after missing the first three matches due to injury.

Parvez Hossain Emon and Afif Hossain, both named in the squad for the first three matches but neither making the XI, have been left out. Meanwhile, pace bowler Shoriful Islam also rested to accommodate the returning trio.

Bangladesh have already sealed the series 3-0, with the last two matches scheduled in Dhaka on Friday and Sunday.

The Zimbabwe tour is the last home series for Bangladesh before the T20 World Cup kicks off on June 1.

Yunus said the BCB expected to announce its World Cup squad at the end of the series.

Bangladesh Squad

Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Liton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin.

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HARARE: Zimbabwean batters Innocent Kaia and Sikandar Raza smashed a century each to power the hosts seal a consolidating five-wicket victory over Bangladesh by five wickets in the first ODI on Friday.

Set to chase a massive 304, Zimbabwe comfortably steered to victory in the 49th over with five wickets to spare, thanks to the brilliant centuries from Raza and Kaia.

The hosts were off to a dismal start to their run chase as they lost both their openers Regis Chakabva and Tarisai Musakanda cheaply for a combined score of six in the second over.

Right-handed middle-order batter Wessly Madhevere, who put on an important 56-run partnership for the third wicket with Kaia, walked back to the pavilion in the 14th over. He scored 19 off 27 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.

Kaia then joined hands with newly-arrived Raza and anchored the run chase with an astounding 192-run partnership.

Veteran right-handed batter Raza remained the major contributor in the match-defining partnership as he scored at a decent pace to bring up his fifth century.

Kaia, on the other hand, remained a little cautious in the proceedings before falling prey to Mosaddek Hossain in the 42nd over. The right-handed batter scored 110 off 122 deliveries, laced with 11 boundaries and two sixes.

Following his departure, Raza then put on a brief partnership with Luke Jongwe, who scored a quick 24 off 19 balls, to make sure to drive his side over the finishing line. The right-handed batter top-scored with an unbeaten 135 off 109 deliveries including eight boundaries and six sixes.

For Bangladesh, Hossain, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, and Mustafizur Rahman struck out a batter apiece.

Batting first, Bangladesh batting line-up also displayed a combined effort with four of their top-order batters scoring half-centuries and setting a decent 303/2 on the board in the allotted 50 overs.

The touring openers, however, remained a touch slow in the proceedings, which, in the end, resulted in halting Bangladesh to put on a massive target despite the quick half-centuries from Anamul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim.

Left-handed opener Tamim Iqbal scored 62 off 88 deliveries, while his partner Litton Das top-scored for the side with an 89-ball 81 before being retired hurt.

Right-handed batter Haque remained the second top-scorer for the side as he scored 73 off 62 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and three sixes, while Rahim remained unbeaten with 52 off 49 deliveries.

For Zimbabwe, Victor Nyauchi and Raza could make one scalp each.

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