Bangladesh survive Zimbabwe scare to seal series

What was supposed to be a walk in the park, ended up being a nail-biter. 

Bangladesh had 322 runs on the board, courtesy of Tamim Iqbal's incredible 158-run knock. And Zimbabwe at one point, 225-7 with 98 still required from 49 deliveries and with no genuine batsmen at the crease. 

But who knew, Donald Tiripano would become a behemoth and strike a fifty off just 26 deliveries and bring the game down to six off two? 

Nobody did. But credit to Al-Amin Hossain, who went for two sixes in the previous two deliveries but still managed to hold his nerve to hand Bangladesh a win by four runs and also the series.

Zimbabwe might feel hard done by as the fifth ball of the last over went over Tiripano's head but was not called a wide. But still, they have a lot to take from the match and Tiripano and his partner in crime, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, deserves all the praise in the world for bringing the game down to such close margins. 

After Mashrafe opted to bat first once again, Bangladesh lost previous match's centurion Liton Das early to an ill-fated run-out when Tamim's shot deflected off the bowler's hand to the stumps.

But Tamim hit ten boundaries within the powerplay to ensure that Bangladesh had a strong start. Tamim though was at some fault in Nazmul Hossain Shanto's dismissal as it was his call which made the youngster leave his crease and consequently, getting run out. 

But Tamim continued on his merry way as he went on to pick up his fifty off just 42 deliveries, shrugging off his criticisms about a low strike rate. He put up two stands of 87 and 106 runs with Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad respectively. Mushfiq picked up a quick fifty and was dismissed soon after but Tamim continued with Mahmudullah. 

Tamim soon brought up his 7,000 runs in ODIs and also his 12th ODI fifty and cut loose. He and Mahmudullah wreak havoc on the Zimbabwean bowlers before Mahmudullah was dismissed for 41. 

Tamim though started to show his flare and power after he reached three figures as his next 57 runs were off just 30 deliveries. He was dismissed after he broke his own record of the highest Bangladeshi ODI innings by scoring 158 and Bangladesh were pegged back a bit. 

But Mohammad Mithun's 32-run cameo off 18 deliveries ensured that Bangladesh had posted a strong total of 322-8. 

Bangladesh were without two of their finest bowlers in the first match as Mustafizur Rahman and Mohammad Saifuddin had to be rested because of medical restrictions. After Bangladesh set Zimbabwe a target of 323, many must have thought that not having them would not matter. But it did. 

Bangladesh were in complete control even until the 40th over as Zimbabwe still required 115 off the last 10 overs. Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Wesley Madhevere had scored fifties and got out by then, with Sikandar Raza being at the crease on 51. 

And soon, Raza was gone to Mashrafe in the 42nd over and Bangladesh waited to sweep off their tail. 

But from then on, the Tiripano-Mutombodzi storm sprang. They put up an 80-run stand off just 45 deliveries as they inched closer to their target. Mutombodzi hit five fours for his 34 off 21 but Tiripano was brutal. He scored his fifty with two fours and five sixes, taking the game to the wire. 

But in the end, it was not enough. They lost, but they gave Bangladesh a warning. If the Tigers were to clean-sweep the visitors in the next match, they would have to do a lot better than they did on Tuesday.