Mahmudullah gets century after 8 years as Tigers set 443-run target
Photo: Collected
|| CF Correspondent ||
Stand-in skipper Mahmudullah Riad hit his second century and his first after eight years to help Bangladesh set an improbable 443-run target for Zimbabwe to win the second Test.
Mahmudullah who brought up his century in the last ball before tea on fourth day was unbeaten on 101, guiding Bangladesh 224-6 (dec) in its second innings, leaving Zimbabwe a record chase in the fourth innings with four sessions to spare in the match.
West Indies’ 418 against Australia remains the highest successful chase in the fourth innings.
The skipper made two important partnerships after Zimbabwe fast bowlers Kyle Jarvis (2-27) and Donald Tiripano (2-31) left Bangladesh in tricky 25-4.
Jarvis swung the ball in admirable fashion to remove both openers Imrul Kyaes (3) and Liton Das (9) in three deliveries in the fifth over of the day.
Tiripano who shared the new ball in absence of injured Tendai Chatara was equally impressive and Mominul Haque (1) and Mushfiqur Rahim (7), the centurion and the double centurion of the first innings, perished to loose shots.
With Zimbabwe raising the hopes to hit back to the game, Mithun and Mahmudullah resisted further damage to keep the side on course of a sizeable lead.
The duo combined for a 118-run partnership for the fifth wicket to restore its dominance.
Offspinner Sikandar Raza removed Mithun for 67, his maiden fifty in his maiden test following 0 in the first innings.
Left-arm spinner Sean Williams dismissed Ariful Haque (4) cheaply but Mahmudullah and Mehidy Hasan shared 73 off 70 balls in an unbroken seventh wicket partnership to set an improbable target for the visitors.
Earlier, with 218 runs first innings lead, bowling Zimbabwe out for 304, Bangladesh decided not to enforce a follow-on when they fourth day’s game began.
