Zimbabwe in Bangladesh ODI Series: Zimbabwe defeat Bangladesh in 1st ODI;
Chris Mpofu man-of-the-match
Zimbabwe ended http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747’s winning streak yesterday as they claimed victory in the first ODI of the series in Dhaka, beating the home team by nine runs.
The few spectators at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur witnessed an amazing match. Bangladesh had won the toss and decided to field first. The match seemed rather one-sided in Bangladesh’s favour by the time
Zimbabwe finished its innings, piling up a modest total of 209.
Zimbabwean openers Brendan http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915 (27) and Chamunorwa Chibhabha (24) gave a sound start to the team but the Bangladeshi spin attack proved too strong for the players. Bangladesh’s Abdur Razzak took four wickets off 41 runs in his
quota of 10 overs. The bowlers restricted the Zimbabwean batsmen below half-centuries, dismissing them easily on the slow pitch. Suhrawadi Shuvo and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mahmudullah-c1877 took two wickets each.
Zimbabwe’s saving grace was Regis Chakabva who returned to the squad with a confident 45 runs, including four boundaries. The only other batsman who came close to a 50 was Craig Ervine, who seemed threatening to the Tigers’ camp
at 41 but was caught off Shakib Al http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hasan-c61990. The Zimbabwean wickets kept on falling at regular intervals and the fifth wicket partnership of Chakabva and Ervine was also broken. The tail-enders of the team lost their wickets rather cheaply, managing only eight
runs in the final overs. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045 was bowled out in 49 overs at 209 runs.
Bangladesh’s target seemed well within reach and the underdogs needed a spin attack that would work against the Tigers’ batsmen.
Opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tamim-Iqbal-c2640 returned to the wicket after five months of nursing a wrist injury. He started off confidently, smashing two boundaries, but was dismissed early on by opening bowler Chris Mpofu. Iqbal’s opening partner Imrul
Kayes was looking strong, hitting six boundaries, but Zimbabwe’s spinner Ray http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Price-c82662 gave a typical gutsy performance and dismissed Kayes.
As the Tigers’ top order continued to fall, a ray of hope presented itself in captain Shakib, who came to the crease and delivered a blitz of a performance with eight beautiful boundaries. Shakib provided his side the stability
it lacked as Bangladesh went from 76 for the loss of one wicket to 98 for the loss of five wickets.
The middle order wickets fell cheaply to run-outs as Suhrawardi Shuvo was cleaned up at 115 in 31.5 overs. Shakib made a very calculated move as he waited patiently on the crease for the weaker bowlers and kept the run rate steady.
He toyed with Price’s and Prosper Utseya’s nerves as they struggled hard to take his wicket. The Tigers’ captain found his gap and took his time to hit big boundaries as he made a variety of sweeps off Zimbabwean backup bowler Keith Dabengwa. He became comfortable
with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mashrafe-Mortaza-c1917, who supported the captain well as he helped him narrow the gap to smash a couple of boundaries on the off-side. Bangladesh again looked in good position and needed twenty-three runs-off twenty one balls. As the Zimbabwean bowlers broke
into a sweat, Shakib completed his half-century.
Yet all did not seem to favour the Tigers as a horrible mix-up left Mortaza stranded in the middle of the pitch. With fifteen runs needed, the captain failed to avoid an error in his otherwise calculated approach. He hit a shot
off Mpofu which went straight in the hands of Keegan Meth.
Zimbabwe were ecstatic at the fall of this most important wicket at this most crucial moment, and went on to bowl out the last two wickets. Bangladesh were all out in 49 overs at 200 runs, and victory was Zimbabwe’s.
Zimbabwe captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Elton-Chigumbura-c55937 later told the press that the team “believed that we could win this match and we did.”
Shakib, on the other hand, admitted that losing at home with an easy target to chase on a good wicket was disappointing.
The Tigers will seek redemption on Friday, December 3rd, in the second ODI of the five-match series.
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