Tigers taste first-ever T20I series defeat against Zimbabwe, lose 3rd T20I by 10 runs
It was the first time Zimbabwe won a T20I series against Bangladesh. Bangladesh failed to chase 157 despite a valiant effort from Afif Hossain.
Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 10 runs in the third T20I in Harare and took the three-match series 2-1. It was the first time Zimbabwe won a T20I series against Bangladesh. Bangladesh failed to chase 157 despite a valiant effort from Afif Hossain.
Bangladesh lost their top three batters - Litton Das, debutant Parvez Hossain Emon and Anamul Haque - inside five overs and were restricted to 34 for three.
Mahmudullah, who replaced Nurul Hasan in the squad, stitched two partnerships - of 26 with Najmul Hossain Shanto and 39 with Afif Hossain - to keep Bangladesh in the chase but the fall of the former in the 15th over made things quite tough for the Tigers. When he got out for a run-a-ball 27, Bangladesh required 57 off 5.4 overs with five wickets in hand.
Afif Hossain (39* off 27) and Mahedi Hasan (22 off 17) tried to get close to the target but eventually fell short. Bangladesh couldn't score more than 146 for eight.
Victor Nyauchi picked up a well-deserved three-for. Brad Evans took a couple too.
Earlier, it was an innings of two parts for Zimbabwe. After a decent opening start of 29, Zimbabwe collapsed as their star man and the one in form Sikandar Raza fell first ball.
Nasum Ahmed drew first blood by sending Regis Chakabva back to the pavilion.
The other off-spinners - Mahedi Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain and Mahmudullah - chipped in with a wicket in the next few overs.
The middle order was blown away and they were reduced to 76/6 at the end of 14 overs. But then began the renaissance between Jongwe and Burl.
After changing his broken bat, Burl unleashed on Nasum - smashing him for 34 in one over, the closest one can come to achieving six 6s in an over, as the four in the over fell inches inside the ropes.
Jongwe too fed off Burl and smashed it big.
The 79-run partnership off 31 balls between Ryan Burl and Luke Jongwe has the all-time highest run rate for a T20I partnership (minimum 75 runs) for the 7th wicket and below.
Bangladesh were left stunned by the onslaught but they managed to dismiss both the batters and made a good comeback in the last two overs - which just produced 10.
For Bangladesh, Mahedi Hasan and Hasan Mahmud bagged a brace while other bowlers took a wicket each.
Ryan Burl was adjudged the player of the match.