Zimbabwe win final T20 to avoid sweep against Bangladesh
Zimbabwe avoided a series clean sweep by beating Bangladesh by eight wickets in the fifth and final Twenty20 (T20) match yesterday.
After being put in to bat, Bangladesh made 157 runs for six wickets, but Brian Bennett’s 70 off 49 balls, with five fours and as many sixes, set the platform for Zimbabwe’s victory with nine balls to spare.
Skipper Sikandar Raza finished with 72 off 46 balls and combined with Bennett for a 75-run stand for the second wicket after Shakib Al Hasan struck early to dismiss Tadiwanashe Marumani for one.
“Like we said in the last three games, we were working our way closer and closer to the victory margin,” Raza said. “It’s nice to contribute. The only jigsaw puzzle that’s missing is me scoring runs. If I can contribute towards the success of the team, it will give me immense pleasure, and today is one of those days.”
Unlike the past four matches, Zimbabwe resisted a top-order collapse as Raza and Bennett dealt with Bangladesh’s bowling with a good balance of caution and attack.
Bennett raised his maiden 50 off 36 balls, nudging Mustafizur Rahman to long-on for a single.
Pacer Mohammad Saifuddin had him caught by Rishad Hossain at long-on with a short ball in the 16th over, but Zimbabwe were already in control at 113 for two.
Raza, who hit six fours and four sixes for his 14th T20 50, then expertly led the tourists to victory and deny Bangladesh their first fivematch series clean sweep.
Put into bat first, Bangladesh rode on Mahmudullah’s 44-ball 54 after a top-order collapse had left them at 15 for three.
“The way we played in this series, there’s a lot of areas we can improve,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said. “Obviously, we didn’t start well today, but there was an opportunity in the middle. Shakib also batted in the middle couple of overs.”
Fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, who captured two wickets for 22 runs, claimed the in-form Taznid Hasan Tamim’s wicket for two with a short ball in the second over.
Offspinner Bennett, with two for 20, then struck twice to remove Soumya for seven and Towhid Hridoy for one as the hosts slipped early.
Mahmudullah and Shanto, with 36 runs, combined for a 69-run partnership to bring Bangladesh back into the game, and after Wellington Masakadza removed Shanto, Mahmudullah added a 39run stand with Shakib, who made 21, to lift the hosts past 150.