Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu in BULAWAYO
CAPTAIN Sikandar Raza is demanding more despite a convincing 32-run win over Bangladesh in the first T20 International at Queens Sports Club yesterday.
Despite a disciplined bowling display that dismissed Bangladesh for 138, after Zimbabwe had posted 170 for 6, Raza believes there is room for improvement.
The second match at the same venue on Friday.
“We’re about to discuss what we need to improve in the changing room and hopefully you will see a lot more clinical performance from Zimbabwe come Friday, Inshallah,” said Raza.
The victory continued Zimbabwe’s strong recent run against Bangladesh but Raza made it clear that the dressing room was not interested in celebrating a single win.
The Zimbabwe skipper said one of the biggest changes in the team’s approach has been the decision to field eight recognised batters, a move designed to encourage fearless cricket and boost the team’s scoring potential.
Raza believes the modern T20 game has evolved significantly and that Zimbabwe cannot afford to remain a side that consistently posts totals in the region of 160 or 170.
“I feel world cricket has gone forward and I feel like Zimbabwe has been a very good 160-170 team.
“And I feel if we do not improve and challenge ourselves to upskill ourselves to try and get to 200, I think we’ll be left behind from the rest of the world,” he said.
He explained that the extra batting depth gives players greater confidence to attack once they are established at the crease.
According to Raza, the strategy is not simply about scoring more runs but about changing Zimbabwe’s mindset to match the aggressive nature of modern T20 cricket.
Queens Sports Club has traditionally favoured teams batting first, and Zimbabwe’s total of 170 gave their bowlers a strong platform to defend.
Brian Bennett laid the foundation through an attacking 44 off 30 balls that included six fours and a six.
Ryan Burl provided the finishing touch with an unbeaten 30 off 25 deliveries, while Brad Evans produced a valuable late cameo of an unbeaten 19 off just 10 balls, striking four boundaries to lift Zimbabwe to a competitive total.
Zimbabwe’s victory was underpinned by another devastating display from player-of-the-match Richard Ngarava and fellow pace spearhead Blessing Muzarabani, who shared eight wickets to dismantle Bangladesh’s batting line-up.
On a surface that did not offer consistent assistance to the seamers, the tall fast-bowling pair created problems through extra bounce and relentless accuracy, conceding just 43 runs in their combined eight overs.
Bangladesh senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin admitted that Zimbabwe’s pace duo of Ngarava and Muzarabani once again proved difficult to handle, saying the visitors needed a better plan to counter the two fast bowlers ahead of the remaining matches in the series.
Salahuddin said Ngarava and Muzarabani had troubled Bangladesh throughout the tour, including the Test and ODI series, and their ability to extract extra bounce from the Queens Sports Club surface made the difference in the opening T20 International.
“Ngarava and Muzarabani bowled really well. We did not bat well against those two bowlers. We need to be a little bit smarter in those situations,” said Salahuddin.
“Zimbabwe has two bowlers that always get extra bounce from any wicket because they are very tall. That is the main thing we have to think about in the next match – how we handle those two guys because they took eight wickets. Even in the Test series and ODI series, those two bowlers gave us a lot of trouble.”
Brief Scores
Zimbabwe 170 for 6 (Bennett 44, Rana 4 for 26) beat Bangladesh 138 (Yasir 54, Muzarabani 4 for 17, Ngarava 4 for 26) by 32 runs
