The Tigers clinch third successive series win against Zimbabwe
||CF Correspondent||
Bangladesh put up a clinical effort to clinch their third successive ODI series-win over Zimbabwe as they defeated the visitors by seven-wicket in the second ODI to seal the three-match series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, on Wednesday (October 24).
A 148-run opening stand between Liton Das and Imrul Kayes proved to be key in clinching the game with Bangladesh overhauling Zimbabwe’s 246/7 with 35 balls to spare.
Liton Das smashed a 77-ball 83, giving the early impetus while Kayes, the centurion from the previous match made a useful 90.
As it was predicted, the third match, slated to be held on Friday, now turns out to be mere dead-rubber, allowing Bangladesh to make some experiments.
Unleashing some innovative shots from his repertoire, Liton Das was instrumental in demolishing the confidence of the Zimbabwe bowlers. Luck was with him as he could have gone on naught in the third ball of the innings had he not reviewed the decision of leg-before when fast bowler Kyle Jarvis convinced umpire Rod Tucker to raise the finger.
His confidence soared up, hitting two consecutive boundaries off Tendai Chatara in the second over through a beautiful cover drive and a leg-square boundary with a flick.
Till then he never switched the gear while Kayes continued to play to his second fiddle. Liton raced to his fifty off 46, again with two consecutive boundaries off Sean Williams.
While the large amount of dew made the life hell for the bowlers of Zimbabwe, they also didn’t help their cause by bowling too short more often.
But Zimbabwe’s toothless bowling prompted Liton making the mistake when he was approaching his second century in his last three matches. He sliced one off Sikandar Raza casually which resulted in a catch at cover point, ending his 83, studded with 12 fours and a six.
Fazle Mahmud then got his consecutive second duck but Bangladesh were in the safe zone. Kayes, however, had the genuine chance of hitting his second century in a row before he threw it away. He sent the ball across the ropes seven times in an innings lasting 111 balls.
Mushfiqur Rahim, unbeaten on 40 and Mithun on 24, then serenely drove the side without any fuss with the later signing off the match with six over deep square-leg.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza earlier sent Zimbabwe in batting, keeping the dew factor in mind in the latter part of the innings. In an otherwise a flat deck, Bangladesh bowlers, led by Saifuddin, bowled in disciplined manner to restrict Zimbabwe to a par total.
Saifuddin claimed his career-best 3/45 while captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Mustafizur Rahman gave him well support. More importantly, these three pacers all together conceded just 19 runs in the last five overs, keeping Zimbabwe at bay.
“I think winning the toss was crucial. We knew about the dew, but it was not as much as we expected,” Tigers skipper Mashrafe told reporters after the match.
“So credit to the bowlers who set it up for the batsmen. Our openers started well and that was nice to see. It's a good wicket, we knew that 270-280 was very much gettable.
“The bowlers bowled well in patches and got the breakthrough at crucial intervals. Imrul and Liton should have got hundreds, they won't get such chances. The openers getting runs is always good for the team,” he said.
Brendan Taylor was key in Zimbabwe’s batting as he paved the platform of propelling the team close to 250 by sharing two important partnerships with opener Cephas Zhuwao and Sean Williams.
Taylor, who struck a 73-ball knock of 75 runs, clattering nine fours and one six, firstly combined for a 52-run second wicket stand with Zuhwao after the early exit of captain Hamilton Maskadza who was fooled by a Saifuddin-slower.
Saifuddin’s disciplined bowling stemmed the run-flow as Mehidy Hasan Miraj capitalized on it to dismiss Zhuwao for 20.
Taylor and Sean Williams however remained unfazed by the disciplined bowling attack, demonstrating the patience but an expensive reverse sweep shot of Taylor against Mahmudullah Riyad after all the hard work helped Bangladesh bounce back in the game.
But Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza refused to give up. However Saifuddin came back to his second spell with fire to remove Williams for 47 while Mashrafe Mortaza got the better of Raza, who hit three fours and two sixes in his 61 ball-49.
Those two dismissals in the short space prevented Zimbabwe from scoring a daunting total when it looked imminent.
