Chevrons lose to Bangladesh

side to level matters yesterday.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first and were 168/7 at the end of their allotted overs with the second wicket partnership of Shakib Al Hassan and Tamim Iqbal contributing 82 runs that included 12 fours.

Zimbabwe’s spin attack led the destruction of Bangladesh with the duo of former captain Prosper Utseya and Natsai Mushangwe responsible for the first three and most important wickets before the pace bowlers took over the show.

Vusimuzi Sibanda and Raza Butt were Zimbabwe’s top scorers each weighing in with 32 runs while none of the remaining batmen managed to get past 16 while Tamim Iqbal (43) top scored for Bangladesh before man of the match and man of the series Shakib Al Hassan added 40.

The duo supported by Al Hassan’s bowling figures of 4-22 in four overs proved the cornerstone of the Bangladesh win .
Zimbabwe’s decision to open with spinner Utseya saw the hosts get an early wicket, taking Shamsur Rahim for two runs in the first over after he was caught by Malcolm Waller with the fourth ball of the first over having tried a slog sweep but Waller at deep mid wicket was there to take the catch leaving Bangladesh on four for one.

However, Zimbabwe’s pace attack struggled to break the second wicket partnership and it was not until Natsai Mushangwe was introduced that he tightened it for the Bangladesh before claiming Al Hassan for 40.

Al Hassan’s 40 comprised of six fours and a six after facing 28 deliveries to break his 82-run second wicket partnership with Tamim Iqbal (43 off 30 six fours and a six) after he was comfortably caught by Raza Butt at deep square leg.

Al Hassan on 32 had earlier been dropped by Sibanda after he attempted a dive at deep extra cover but Sibanda only managed to tip the ball over for a six.
Iqbal did not last long on the crease as well and his 43 run stand came to an end in the 11th over after he failed to put enough distance behind the ball Utseya’s delivery to give Shingi Masakadza a gift at long on and Bangladesh were 101/3.

This marked the beginning of happy moment for Zimbabwe as they had taken the three big wickets with Iqbal, Shamsur Rahim and Al Hassan back in the pavilion, Zimbabwe got the confidence and Mushfiqur Rahim was next on the line.

To leave Bangladesh on 111 for four, Mushfiqur was trapped lbw by Hamilton Masakadza with the third ball of the 13th over after posting 17 runs in 12 balls with two fours and the umpire had no reason delaying a decision as he was quick to give it.

Brian Vitori’s 18th over deliveries made sure Bangladesh lost two of their wickets first Monimul Haque (nine off nine with a four) who was clean bowled with the fifth ball of the over after the pacer fired a yorker that found its way to the leg stump.

With the next delivery Nasir Hossain was run out by Sibanda at the non strikers end as the Bangladesh batsman tried to dive having been sent back by Sohan Gazi but it was too tale as the bails were already off.

In response, the hosts were just five for one with the first delivery of the second over after Abdur Razzak got opener Hamilton’s off stump forcing him to walk back to the pavilion with just two runs to his name clean bowling the batsman after facing five deliveries.

Captain Brendan Taylor was out for 15 after he was caught by Nasir Hosain with 15 runs to his name off 10 deliveries with three fours with the last ball of the 5th over hitting a skier off Al Hassan that hung for too long and Nasir Hosain at cover finished the job.

Shafuil Islam came to haunt Zimbabwe when Sibanda ( 32 off 19 with three fours and a six) made a poor shot, getting a top edge that flew towards mid-on where Mahmudullah took him off the last ball of the seventh over.

Sean Williams out for 16 (in 19 deliveries with two fours) was then run out following a direct hit by Robiul Islam when Butt pushed down to cover setting off for a high risk single but Williams was not able to make it to the strikers end it time.

Butt (32 off 30 balls with two sixes) was the last batsman to reach double figures when he left the crease with Zimbabwe on 120/6 in the 17th over after he was bowled by a Al Hassan after the delivery deflected off the pads to hit the stumps.

Shingi Masakadaza (9), Mushangwe (0) and Utseya followed before the last wicket unbeaten partnership of Tinashe Panyangara and Brian Vitori added two runs.