Zimbabwe 205 for 3 (Madhevere 67, Raza 65*, Mustafizur 2-50) beat Bangladesh 188 for 6 (Nurul 42*, Shanto 37, Jongwe 2-34) by 17 runs
Chasing 206, Bangladesh were never really in the chase until Nurul started hitting sixes in the last few overs, but an already struggling side looked out of their depth all through.
This is the second time in the space of six T20Is that Zimbabwe have breached the 200-run mark. It is also the first time in eight years that Zimbabwe have taken a 1-0 lead in a bilateral series against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh still had an outside chance in the last two overs when they needed 32 runs, but Ngarava and Jongwe did just about enough to close out the win.
As T20s often do, the match came down to a critical penultimate over. Ngarava, drafted into this squad to make up for an injury-hit pace bowling attack, more than made up for the absentees Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani. He conceded just four runs in the 19th over, kept the rampant Nurul quiet and picked up a wicket for good measure to leave Bangladesh needing 28 runs in the last over.
When Zimbabwe batted first, their innings was slightly heading into a meandering zone when Sean Williams laid into Nasum Ahmed. He struck the left-arm spinner for two fours and a six in the 18-run eleventh over to give some impetus to the innings. The southpaw laid into Nasum’s down the leg-side deliveries; the first was a full-toss that he deposited over deep square leg, before guiding another poor delivery through fine-leg.
Raza raises the roof
Zimbabwe scored 91 runs in the last six overs of their innings, thanks mainly to Raza who was in a punishing mood. The first of Raza’s four sixes was a hammered pull off Taskin Ahmed in the 15th over, before he struck Shoriful Islam for two sixes in the 19th over. The last one was off Mustafizur in the last over.
Raza also struck two straight fours, and a beautiful cover drive to finish the innings. Madhevere supported Raza very well despite appearing to suffer from a hamstring pull. Before he was joined by Raza, he was more focused on using the pace of the ball to hit boundaries behind the wicket. Madhevere also played a purebred cover drive earlier, off Taskin. His innings was cut short in the last over when he had to retire hurt for 67.
Litton exits in confusion
After giving Bangladesh their best Powerplay in nearly four years, Litton attempted a scoop against Wiliams in the seventh over. The mistimed shot went as far as Ngarava at short fine-leg but the fast bowler, in the haste to celebrate the big wicket, dropped a sitter. The bowler Williams had to cut short his celebration in disgust as he saw the ball thrown his way.
He quickly ran back to break the stumps at the non-striker’s end, of which Litton was well short. As a matter of fact, the batter had not even try to make it to the crease as he took a bit of time to realise the catch was shelled. The on-field, who seemed confused with the proceedings, asked Litton to wait and signalled for the TV umpire, adding not out as the soft signal. This added to the confusion, but the TV umpire adjudged that Litton was actually run out.
Zimbabwe win the middle overs too
Bangladesh never quite got a big partnership going after Litton fell for 32. Anamul Haque got out the ball after hitting his second six in the tenth over, while Afif Hossain pulled a half-tracker down deep midwicket’s throat in the 13th. Najmul Hossain Shanto, a surprise inclusion in the T20I squad, struck a six and three fours in his 25-ball 37. He fell in the 16th over, unable to cope with the rising required run rate. It was left to the new captain Nurul, who, eventually, couldn’t quite get Bangladesh to the target.