Bangladesh finished on 468 after Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed put together the second-highest ninth wicket stand in Test history. When Taskin missed a slog off Milton Shumba on 75, their stand ended on 191, four runs short of the 195 put on by Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox against Pakistan in 1995.
Taskin, who made a career-best 75 off 134 balls with eleven fours, walked away frustrated but Mahmudullah congratulated him for his feat. They broke the Bangladesh record of 184 runs for the ninth wicket between Mahmudullah and Abul Hasan in 2012.
The partnership was key to help Bangladesh to a strong total. Taskin was then ninth batsman to score 75 after hitting 11 boundaries in 111 balls.
After him, Mahmudullah reached 150, but the No.11 batsman Ebadot Hossain was removed for naught after playing eight balls as Bangladesh’s innings came to an end.
Mahmudullah’s unbeaten 150 off 278 was included 17 fours and one six.
As they began the second day, Mahmudullah and Taskin paced the scoreboard, batting fluently, a strategy that made the Zimbabwe bowlers stunned and placed them in disarray.
Mahmudullah, who started the day on 54, brought up his ton with consecutive boundaries off offspinner Roy Kaia—the second one he cracked through to cover-point four for his century off 195 balls.
Immediately next over, Taskin pushed one off pace bowler Richard Ngarava to mid-on for a single to complete his maiden first class half-century off 69 balls.
But both of them looked more compact after reaching their respective milestone, keeping Zimbabwe bowlers at bay.
Blessed Muzarabani was the most successful bowler for Zimbabwe with 4-94 while Victor Nyauchi and Donals Tiripano claimed two wickets apiece.
Earlier on the opening day, Liton Das and skipper Mominul Haque led the way to keep Bangladesh at a safe position after they were reduced to 8-2 and then 3-68. Later they lost two stalwarts Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim in the space of five balls to be left to score in tricky 109-5.