Friday, April 26, 2024
After their streak of 19 wins which spanned over nine years, Bangladesh national team have lost a One-Day International to Zimbabwe in the first match of their three-match series in Harare on Friday.
Chasing 304, the hosts did it with ease as they overcame the total with 10 balls in hand.
The Zimbabwe tour only gets worse for the Tigers as this result came after their 2-1 series loss in the Twenty20 Internationals.
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Batting first, Bangladesh only managed 303 despite losing only three batsmen as the last five overs brought them just 39 runs.
And Zimbabwe, with the confidence of the T20I series win, chased that total with ease, courtesy of centuries from Innocent Kaia and Sikandar Raza, along with some sloppy bowling and fielding from the Tigers.
Raza stayed unbeaten beyond 125, while Kaia scored 110.
After losing the toss, Bangladesh started the innings in a sluggish manner as both Tamim and Liton took over 70 deliveries to reach their fifties.
While Liton managed to cover it up by scoring 81 off 89 deliveries before he was retired out due to a hamstring injury, Tamim played 88 deliveries to score 62.
Anamul Haque, coming off a record-breaking Dhaka Premier League season, scored 73 off 62 deliveries, and Mahmudullah Riyad cameoed with 20 off 12 balls, but Mushfiqur Rahim’s 52 off 49 deliveries helped Bangladesh little in their attempt to put on a big total.
In reply, Bangladesh had a fantastic start as they picked up two wickets in the first two overs.
The first to go was Zimbabwe skipper Regis Chakabva, who chased a wide delivery from Mustafizur Rahman and chopped it onto his stumps to go back for two.
In the next over, Tarisai Musakanda (6) tried to take on Shoriful Islam, but only managed to sky it as Mosaddek Hossain took an easy catch.
Wesley Madhevere and Kaia put together a stand of 56 runs, but that ended when they ran on a misfield.
As substitute fielder Taijul Islam fumbled in the deep, the batsmen tried to steal an extra run, but Madhevere fell well short as Mehidy Hasan Miraz collected the ball and broke the stumps.
But then began the tale of Zimbabwe’s heroes as Raza and Kaia put together 192 runs for the fourth wicket, as both of them picked up centuries.
Kaia took 115 balls to reach three figures, but Raza was in a ferocious mood as he reached his hundred in just 81 deliveries.
Kaia got dismissed in the 42nd over, with 50 still needed, off Mosaddek Hossain’s bowling for 110, hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
From there on, Raza took his side home with a cool head to go 1-0 up in the series.
