TE24 Sports Desk:
Hosts Zimbabwe secured a thrilling 10-run victory over Bangladesh in the T20 final of the series at the Sports Club in Harare on Tuesday. Voted the first hitter
In Zimbabwe, he relied on his heroic batting for Ryan Burr and Luke Johnway to avoid a batting slump and took a respectable 156-8. In the North, unable to overcome the early pressure, Bangladesh had to settle for 8-146.
Slow batting and regular loss of wickets put Bangladesh batsmen under pressure during the innings. Bangladesh lost the main opener Liton Das in his second over. The rout continued as they lost three wickets in the Power play-over. New signing Parvez Hussain Imon also failed to live up to expectations on his international debut, saving just six balls. Meanwhile, Annamal continued his failure with the bat as he managed to score 14.
Experienced Williams kept the pressure on by removing Nazim Hussain for 16, but former T20 captain Mahmudura, 27, was dismissed at a crucial moment. However, captain Mosaddek could not open the account. Afif Hossain and Mahedi Hasan gave their best in the last over. A 17-ball 22 counter-attack gave Zimbabwe a bit of a scare, but it was all over when Zimbabwe’s winning bowler Victor Nyauchi ended Mahedi’s innings in his 19th over.
From 6 to 19 balls, Bangladesh managed just 8 runs and Afif remained unbeaten from 27 to 39 balls. Zimbabwe pacesetter Victor Nyauchi took 3 wickets for 29 runs. Zimbabwe went from 67-6 to 156-8 in 20 overs.
He got a shrewd assist from Luke Tar Jongwe to overwhelm the Bangladeshi bowlers as he put on 79 runs off just 31 balls and scored 20 to 35 runs in the pair. But to Bangladesh’s delight, fast bowler Hasan Mahmood dismissed both his second to last overs to keep Zimbabwe at least 15 runs away from their desired position.
Hasan Mahmood finished with 2-28. Offspinner Mahedi Hasan had equal figures (2-28) and was key to Zimbabwe’s top-order break. Zimbabwe captain Craig Irvine won the draw again, predictably opting to go first. Irvine and opening partner Regis Chakava also got off to a dream start, scoring 29 in just three overs before left-arm spinner Natham Ahmed first dismissed Chakava at 17-17.
Mahedi went into full action defeating Wesley Madhevere and his Sikandar Raja. Both batsmen contributed to Zimbabwe’s 17-run win in the first match, with Madhevia not missing his 67 and Raja his 26-ball 65. Raja scored a struggling 67 in the second game, which Zimbabwe lost by seven wickets.
Bangladesh’s nutcases dominated play, with Mahmudula Riyad and skipper Mosadekh Hossain Saikat further derailing the hosts.
