adminThe hosts won the toss and decided to bat first putting on 154/6 in their allotted 20 overs before restricting the Tigers to 143 runs for the loss of five wickets.
Top order batsman Hamilton Masakadza produced a man of the match performance with a fine half century before he was given out in an unfortunate run out midway through the innings.
Masakadza who scored an impressive ton in the tour match on Friday continued with his good form when he top scored for the home team with 62 runs from 35 deliveries.
“I think this is a great start. These guys have put in quite a lot of hard work and I am striking the ball quite well.
“The preparations that we have had are beginning to pay off so I am happy about that. We just need keep going the way we are, not changing too much and continue being positive and working hard,” said Masakadza.
The Zimbabwean opener featured in two prominent partnerships with Vusi Sibanda and skipper Brendan Taylor.
While Masakadza was on fire, his opening partner Sibanda (7) appeared to struggle to establish himself at the opposite end, gobbling 15 balls for a single digit score in the first wicket partnership that yielded 47 runs.
Masakadza smashed five sixes and six fours on the afternoon but his innings came to a disappointing end when Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim reacted the quickest to enforce a run out when the Zimbabweans tried to squeeze a tight single with Taylor at the other end.
Nonetheless Masakadza received a standing ovation from an appreciative crowd as he left the scoreboard reading 91/2 after 11.5 overs.
The partnership with Taylor added 44 runs to Zimbabwe’s tally.
But before they could re-organise themselves, another wicket tumbled when new batsman Craig Ervine (0) was run out after facing only two balls to leave Zimbabwe on 92/3.
A fourth wicket partnership of 39 runs between Taylor (38) and Stuart Matsikenyeri (18 runs from 16 balls) lifted Zimbabwe to 131 with just over two overs remaining.
Abdul Hassan, who removed Matsikenyeri in the 17.5 over, took 2-37 while Mashrafe Mortaza and Elias Sunny had a wicket each.
Bangladesh began the chase on a promising note following a 61-run first wicket stand between Tamim Iqbal (38) and Mahommad Ashraful (22).
But the tourists could not maintain the momentum as they were already reeling at 99/4 after 15.1 overs. Zimbabwe’s pace bowler Christopher Mpofu marked his
return from injury with good returns of 2-20 from his four overs.
Mpofu, who bowled three wides in the first over, shaked off the poor start and claimed the precious wickets of Iqbal and Zauir Rahman (23).
Bangladesh looked well on course until the 10th over when Zimbabwe made the breakthrough after Ashraful was stumped by the wicket keeper Taylor off the bowling of Prosper Utseya.
Mpofu who had dropped a catch in the 12th over, to give Rahman the lifeline off the bowling of Cremer, then struck in the next over when he had Iqbal caught by Kyle Jarvis who moved in from third man for a good piece of fielding.
Newboy Richard Muzhange also justified his inclusion with a perfect yorker that removed Mushfiqur Rahim’s leg stump.
Craig Ervine then took a great catch at the mid-wicket boundary to give Mpofu his second wicket after Rahman pulled a high ball into the space.
The bowlers gave Zimbabwe control of the game and with 19 runs needed in the final over, Kyle Jarvis gave the hosts the right finish they had hoped for, bowling a tight yorker at Mamudullah and then taking his only wicket with the second ball.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter