Tigers through to final with 39-run win over Zimbabwe

Bangladesh defeated Zimbabwe in the fourth T20I match of the tri-nation series by 39 runs on Wednesday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

The win ensured that the Tigers reached the final of the tournament with Zimbabwe eliminated.

They will play Afghanistan in the final on the 24th at the Sher-e-Bangla in Dhaka. 

Bangladesh scored 175-7 after the first innings with Mahmudullah top-scoring with 62 and a handy contribution from Liton Das as he scored 38 and in reply Zimbabwe were all-out for 136. 

Mahmudullah was adjudged man-of-the-match for his batting performance.

The Tigers got off to an excellent start by getting two early Zimbabwe wickets in the first two overs to have the visitors at 2-2.

Mohammad Saifuddin took the first wicket experienced opener Brendan Taylor for a duck and captain Shakib Al Hasan struck in the second over to remove Regis Chakabva, who also failed to add to the score. 

From there it was a struggle for the visitors as they kept losing wickets regularly.

Shafiul Islam – making a return to the side – struck in his first ball in the third over to take the wicket of Sean Williams who scored just two runs as Zimbabwe plummeted to 8-3. 

Captain Hamilton Masakadza held his end up and played a few lovely shots to build a small partnership with Tinotenda Mutombodzi.

Shakib then decided to bring on leg-spinner Aminul Islam and he got the breakthrough as Mutombodzi was caught at long-off after scoring 11 runs.

New batsman Ryan Burl was out the next over after scoring just two runs as Shafiul had his second wicket. 

The match seemed all but over for the visitors when they lost their captain Masakadza soon after to a straighter delivery from Aminul as the leggie had his second scalp.

Masakadza scored 25 runs from as many balls in an innings that had three boundaries. 

The Tigers kept things quiet although another wicket didn't come in the next few overs as Richmond Mutumbami and Neville Madziva tried to rebuild.

But that didn't last long as Madziva was run-out for nine runs by Shakib and Mushfiqur. 

Mutumbami then started to play freely as he took 16 runs off the 14th over bowled by Shakib. 

The over included two sixes and a four in three consecutive deliveries. 

Kyle Jarvis and Mutumbami then formed a partnership to keep Zimbabwe in the match as the required rate climbed over 20 and Mutumbami reached his maiden T20I fifty.

Shafiul though had the last laugh as he took the wicket of Mutumbami, who top-scored with 54 from 32 balls and Shaiful ended up with career-best figures of 4-0-36-3.

Mustafizur Rahman, who had a day to forget with the ball, ended up with the last two wickets in the final over of the match to ensure a big win.

The wickets were of Jarvis - who scored 27 - and Ainsley Ndlovu - who scored two - as Mustafiz finished with figures of 4-0-38-2. 

Earlier after winning the toss, Zimbabwean skipper Hamilton Masakadza put the hosts in to bat.

Bangladesh had made three changes as they brought in Shafiul, Nazmul Hossain and Aminul to replace Taijul Islam, Sabbir Rahman and Soumya Sarkar. Both Nazmul and Aminul were debutants, with the latter playing his first international match.

Bangladesh started well as Liton Das unleashed himself on the bowlers before Nazmul was deceived by Kyle Jarvis with a slower delivery. The debutant went back for 11. 

Liton followed soon after as he edged a delivery off Mpofu high into the sky, only to be caught by Madziva for 38. 

Skipper Shakib continued on his bad patch as he was caught off Ryan Burl for only 10. 

Mushfiq-Mahmudullah put up a good stand to keep the runs coming, as Bangladesh looked set to score big.

Their 78-run stand was broken when Mutombodzi got rid off Mushfiqur Rahim on 32. 

Mahmudullah and Afif failed to accelerate before the youngster went back for seven off eight deliveries as he edged to Taylor off Mpofu. 

Mahmudullah in the meantime, reached hi fifty and also 8000 runs in international cricket. 

Mahmudullah was sent back by Jarvis in the last over of the innings on 62, even though there were questions about the delivery being a high no-ball. 

Mosaddek went back on the very next delivery in a similar fashion to Mahmudullah for two.