The bowlers had done half the job. They restricted Zimbabwe to 124 runs. But Nazmul Hossain Shantor’s team was under pressure in the run chase as rain struck twice in the Bangladesh innings.
Tanjid Hasan Tamim and Tawhid Hriday have released that pressure. In the first T20 of the series in Chittagong, they gave victory to Bangladesh by keeping 8 wickets and 28 balls in hand. With this win, the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Rain repeatedly attacked Bangladesh innings. After Bangladesh scored 10 runs for 1 wicket in 3 overs in the first innings, it rained. Bangladesh scored 44 runs for 1 wicket in 7.2 overs before play was stopped in the second over.
When the rain stopped again, Tanjid Hasan Tamim and Nazmul Hossain Shanto crossed fifty in the second wicket pair. However, the Bangladesh captain has given away his wicket after crossing fifty in the pair. He hit only one boundary in the innings of 21 runs off 24 balls.
Anointed Tanjid Tamim did not stop even after losing his partner. Fifty off 36 balls. He left the field after winning the team. For the third wicket, Tawhid Hriday and Tamim scored 69 runs off 36 balls.
Tamim hit 67 off 47 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes and Hriday played an unbeaten innings of 33 runs with 5 fours and 1 six off 18 balls.
The target of victory in front of Bangladesh was not very big, 125 runs. But Liton Das failed again in the opening. He lost his place in the ODI team due to continuous off form. Sometimes he got fifty in one match in Dhaka Premier League. But Liton returned to the national team in that previous appearance.
Despite having an opponent like Zimbabwe, he could not return to the run. Chasing the target of 125 runs in the first T20 of the series in Chittagong, Bangladesh suffered a shock at the beginning. Liton Das returned after being bowled by Zimbabwean pacer Muzrabani with 1 run from 3 balls.
Earlier, Zimbabwe had 7 wickets for 41 runs. It seemed that their innings would be wrapped up by the Tiger bowlers. But the visitors turned around brilliantly in the eighth wicket pair. In the end, after overcoming the disaster, Zimbabwe scored 124 runs and got all out.
Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and decided to field first at Chittagong’s Zahoor Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Shariful Islam hit two boundaries in the first over.
Shanta brought the spin attack in the second over. Sheikh Mehdi was not slow to repay the captain’s trust. The offspinner bowled veteran Craig Irvine (0) with a superb turning delivery off his second ball. Irvin could not save the wicket despite defending.
Bangladesh got their second wicket in the fifth over. Mohammad Saifuddin returned to the team after almost 19 months and got a wicket in his first over. Anointed Joylord Gambi (17 off 14) was caught by Taskin Ahmed at short fine leg while flicking the ball on the legside.
Zimbabwe lost a pair of wickets in the next over bowled by Sheikh Mehdi. Brian Bennett (15 off 16) was run out on the first ball. Wicketkeeper Zaker Ali broke the wicket on Mahmudullah’s throw from backward point.
Next ball skipper Sikandar Raja (0) was bowled by the turn while playing a paddle sweep. The ball hits the edge of his bat and goes to Liton Das at slip. Zimbabwe scored 38 runs for 4 wickets in 6 overs of power play.
Coming in the seventh over, Taskin again took two victims with two balls in a row. Shaun Williams (0) was bowled on the inside with the bat. Next ball Ryan Berl (0) catches Rishad at backward point. Luke Jungwick (2) was picked up by Saifuddin.
After losing 7 wickets for 41 runs, wicketkeepers Cleve Madande and Wellington Masakadza led the team. This duo brought respectable capital to Zimbabwe by adding 75 runs off 65 balls in the eighth wicket.
Taskin finally broke the pair by bowling Madande with 9 balls left in the innings. The Zimbabwean wicketkeeper batted 43 off 39 balls. Masakadza, who was run out in the last ball, made 34 off 38 balls.
Saifuddin took 15 in 4 overs and Taskin took 3 wickets each with 14 runs in the same over. Sheikh Mehdi took 2 wickets for 16 runs. Shariful Islam and Rishad Hossain did not do well. Both were wicketless with 37 runs in 4 overs.
