10-run defeat hands Bangladesh first series loss vs Zimbabwe

Bangladesh lost their three-match Twenty20 International series against Zimbabwe 2-1 after their 10-run defeat to the hosts in the final match of the series.

Chasing 157, Bangladesh only managed 146-8 after a dismal performance from their top-order.

This is the first time Bangladesh have lost a T20I series against Zimbabwe. In the previous six, the Tigers had won three and drew three.

The series win is Zimbabwe’s first-ever bilateral T20I series win at home and their seventh win in their last eight matches.

After the defeat, Bangladesh skipper Mosaddek Hossain hoped for a better result in ODIs.

“In the first 14 overs, we were on top. The 15th over was the difference in the game. Afif struck the ball very well. Everyone knows how good we are in ODIs, and hopefully, we will play well there,” he said, referring to the over where Nasum Ahmed conceded 34 runs, including five sixes and a four.

Bangladesh could have done better in the chase, but five of their top six failed to either accelerate or score big, resulting in a defeat.

Liton Das started well, but was caught and bowled by Victor Nyauchi after scoring 13 off six deliveries. Debutant Parvez Hossain Emon could only score two off six deliveries before getting dismissed tamely. And before losing his stumps in an almost nothing delivery from Wesley Madhevere, Anamul Haque continued on his poor run to score 14 runs off 13 deliveries.

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudullah Riyad were the ones who let the required run rate jump as neither could bat with a good strike rate. Najmul scored only 16 off 20 deliveries, while the latter, who came into this match in place of injured skipper Nurul Hasan Sohan, scored 27 off 27 deliveries. While Mahmudullah managed a precious four, Najmul could not manage any boundaries despite playing one-sixth of their whole innings. Skipper Mosaddek was gone for a golden duck.

Afif Hossain, who stayed unbeaten on 39 off 27 deliveries, and Shak Mahedi Hasan, who scored 22 off 17 deliveries, tried, but it turned out to be too much for the Tigers as they fell 10 runs short.

Nyauchi was Zimbabwe’s most successful bowler with three wickets, while Brad Evans picked up two. Madhevere, Sean Williams, and Luke Jongwe picked up one each. Sikandar Raza did not pick up a wicket but gave away just 21 runs in his four overs to tighten the grip on the Bangladeshi batsmen.

Earlier in the day, Mosaddek, filling in as captain for Nurul, lost the toss and Zimbabwe opted to bat first.

Batting first, Zimbabwe were 67-6 after the 13th over as Bangladesh piled up the pressure, but Ryan Burl and Luke Jongwe took them to a fighting total with a 79-run stand for the seventh wicket.

Burl scored 54 off 28 deliveries, hitting two fours and six sixes. Jongwe scored 35 off 20 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes.

The turning of the tides began in the 15th over of the Zimbabwean innings, when Burl hit five sixes and a four off Nasum Ahmed’s bowling to begin their acceleration.

In the last six overs, Zimbabwe scored 80 runs and took their total to a healthy 156-8.

For Bangladesh, young pacer Hasan Mahmud and Shak Mahedi Hasan picked up two wickets each, with Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum, Mosaddek Hossain, and Mahmudullah Riyad picking up one each.

Ryan Burl, adjudged player of the match, said after the match, “Losing a few wickets early up wasn’t ideal. Just trusting the process and keeping the options positive was crucial.”