Mushfiqur, spinners spin Bangladesh to series-leveling win
||CF Correspondent||
A victory was in eye-sight after Bangladesh left Zimbabwe doing the unthinkable –chase a record 443-run or survive four sessions. Brendan Taylor fought valiantly, only to give a remote hope but at the end it was the result that Bangladesh expected.
Offspinner Mehidy Hasan claimed his fifth five-for to spoil Brendan Taylor’s century in both innings as Bangladesh leveled the two-match series with a comprehensive 218-run victory against Zimbabwe in the second Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Mehidy’s 5-38 effectively dismissed Zimbabwe for 224 in their second innings, despite a courageous 106 not out from Taylor, when the visitors was chasing a record 443-run target.
Mehdiy underlined his importance as an all-rounder in absence of Shakib Al Hasan with figures of 8-99 in the match, alongside his 64 not out and 27 not out in batting.
The victory is Bangladesh’s first Test victory this year.
Taylor who scored 110 in Zimbabwe’s first innings resisted Bangladesh spinners but hardly got the support from other end with Zimbabwe had one batsman short following the injury of Tendai Chatara.
It was Taylor’s second both innings century following his 171 and 102 not out in 2013, also against Bangladesh. Taylor is the third Zimbabwe batsman to get both innings century after Flowers Brothers (Andy and Grant).
Opener Brian Chari was the other notable contributor for Zimbabwe with 43.
Resuming the day on 76-2 and eying to survive the whole day to eke out a draw and sealed their first test series victory since 2011, Zimbabwe began cautiously with Taylor leading from the front.
Pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman (1-19) gave Bangladesh a breakthrough, dismissing Sean Williams (13) with extracting extra bounce off the pitch.
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (2-93) continued tormenting Zimbabwe, with his guile and turn to which Sikandar Raza perished after scoring 12. Taijul who earlier claimed three straight five-for, ended the series with 18 wickets.
Taylor and Peter Moor then demonstrated a patience and serenity to raise the hope of earning a draw, before Mehidy fired a quicker delivery to manage an inside-edge of Moor, ending the stubborn 66-run partnership.
Moor played 79 balls to score only 13.
But the big blow came when Regis Chakabva was run out for 2, that effectively ended Zimbabwe’s chance of survival.
Hasan then took less than half-an-hour to clean up the tail, leaving Taylor stranded on 106.
Bangladesh earlier declared the first innings on 522-7, riding on Mushfiqur Rahim’s career best 219 not out and Mominul Haque’s 161. Zimbabwe was shot out for 304 in its first innings, conceding 218 runs lead.
The hosts then managed 224-6, after skipper Mahmudullah’s first century in eight years, leaving Zimbabwe in a record chase to win the series.
