Zimbabwe clinch series in nail-biter
Finally, Bangladesh showed determination in the ODI series against Zimbabwe but it came all too late as a batting collapse in the final stages allowed the hosts to restrict them to 245, 5 short of the target in the third match and get to an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five match series. Nevertheless, Mushfiqur Rahim was the hero with a fighting century that provided his team a chance until he was the last man dismissed with four balls remaining in the innings.
It surely was a wicket-keeper’s day with the bat, after Taentda Taibu powered Zimbabwe to a healthy 250, Rahim almost took Bangladesh across the line. The chase got off to a good start with the openers sharing a 50 run partnership in about 12 overs. The breakthrough was provided Prosper Utseya, having Imrul LBW for 16. Junaid was dismissed soon after by the same bowler as the chase began to lose tempo. With Tamim Iqbal batting patiently at the other end, Mushfiqur walked into at number four to keep the score board moving.
The Zimbabwe bowlers prevented the two from scoring quickly and when Tamim was run out for 44, the run rate began to climb. Skipper Shakib also didn’t last long but Mushfiqur began to settle down, not letting the bowlers dominate the proceedings. He added 61 with Shuvogoto as Bangaldesh were slowly getting back into the picture. Another fruitful partnership with Mahmadullah gave the visitors a real chance to avoid the series defeat as the wicket-keeping batsman completed a gritty fifty.Zimbabwe, however, fought-back with quick wickets as Mahmadullah and Nasir were dismissed in a span of three deliveries with 22 needed. Mushfiqur had got in his eye by then and punished anything on length. A four off Mpofu brought the target fewer than 20, but couple of wickets in the 49th over meant they required eight runs in the last over with just one wicket remaining.
A couple in the last over brought the target down to six, Mushifiqur having made a superb ton holed out in the deep while trying to finish the match with a big stroke. The stands erupted as Zimbabwe completed a series victory after the test win.Earlier, Zimbabwe were powered by a 142-run stand between Hamilton Masakadza and Tatenda Taibu during the middle stages and a late flourish enabled them to post a decent 250 on the board. Bangladesh pacers bowled tight lines to restrict the scoring in the early part but a bad-day for the spinners meant Zimbabwe managed put themselves in a good position.
Shafiul Islam and Nazmul Hossain extracted enough movement with new ball to put Zimbabwe openers under pressure straightaway. As the runs dried up, Brandon Taylor attempted an ambitious slice through point only to edge the ball into Junaid in the slips. Sibanda hit five fours in his 27 before being dismissed for 27 as the hosts struggled to 39 for 2 in the fourteenth over.
Since, the Bangladesh pacers were kept on for twenty overs, the spinners had to bowl majority of the overs in the last half of the innings. From a weak position, Masakadza and Taibu set about the recovery taking the singles here and there with the odd-boundary keeping the score board moving. Bangladesh also spilled couple of chances off Taibu, allowing the wicket-keeper batsman to take the score forward. Both the batsmen compiled fifties as Zimbabwe looked set for a good score on a track that was not averse to batting.
The duo added 142 runs in 28.3 overs and once Masakadza was castled by Robel Hossain for 74, the innings was provided the much needed impetus by entertaining cameos by Craig Ervine (18 off 13 balls) and Elton Chigumbura (31 from 21 balls). Taibu hit eight boundaries in yet another crucial knock of 83.For Bangladesh, Rubel picked up two wickets for 41, but the spinners conceded too many runs- skipper Shakib went for 46 in six overs.
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