Predictably, Bangladesh sealed the five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe after winning the third match by nine runs on Tuesday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Chattogram.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza chose to field first, despite making an early collapse, could stop Bangladesh cheaply, as the hosts scored 165 runs for five wickets in stipulated 20 overs.
Bangladesh riding two order batters Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali, who scored 57 and 44 runs respectively abled to set a target of 166 for Zimbabwe to win the match.
The Tigers bowlers, who were not fierce on the day as they were in the previous two matches when the Zimbabweans were just nine runs away to win the match, as they scored 156 runs.
However, the Zimbabwean bowlers almost justified the captain’s decision after throwing strong challenges at the early stage of Bangladesh innings with restricting the hosts only on 60 for three wickets on the half way (nine overs) of their innings.
Eyeing to confirm the series with two matches to play, it was not at all an impressive start for the Tigers when their opening stand was departed only for 22 runs by 3.4 overs.
Tigers were going to stumble when they lost the second wicket in a span of seven runs with captain Nuzmul Hssan Shanto got out for six runs leaving the team on 29 for two wickets by 4.4 overs following opener Litton’s getting out for 12 runs.
Litton Das, who has been struggling for a long, failed to get back his flair, played 15 balls to score 12 runs following his 23 off 25 balls in the second match and just one runs in the first match. Litton was bowled by Blessing Muzarabani when he was trying to scoop for the third consecutive time a half-volley delivery wide outside off stumps and this time connects and drags it onto the stumps.
Nazmul Hossain Shanto coming to revive damage played only four balls when he was also bowled out going to play an Arm-ball delivery of Sikander Raza across the line but had no movements of his feet and missed the line, as the off stump was broken.
Tanzid Hasan, who played a fabulous 67 off 47 ball in the first match, looked to defendable, though was slow but could not make his innings bigger when he gifted his wicket to Faraz Akram. Tanzid, going to whack a short of a length ball over the onside fence, failed to connect properly and only manages to find the deep mid wicket fielder Madande after scoring 21 off 22 balls.
Finally Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali rescued the Tigers when they scored 87 runs in 9.3 overs fourth in the fourth wickets stand.
Towhid played a blistering knock to score 57 off just 38 deliveries, providing the much-needed drive to the innings. Jaker Ali contributed a valuable 44, ensuring Bangladesh to reach a defendable total.
Muzarabani was the pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers with taking three wickets to give some trouble to Bangladesh betters.
Chasing to a challenging target, Zimbabwe saw huge blow losing four wickets for 48 runs when only Tadiwanashe Marumani managed to reach double figures among their top orders.
Faraz Akram, coming in at number 10, gave a valiant fight with scoring of 34 off 19 balls, the top contributor for the visitors, which could bring them closer to a surprise victory.
Finally, Tigers’ bowler secured the win when Mohammad Saifuddin continued his excellent form since his return to international cricket after a hiatus of over one and a half years.
Saifuddin claimed three crucial wickets when Rishad Hossain, the young leg-spinner picked up two wickets to draw attention of the selectors demonstrating his potential ahead of the World Cup.
