TRI-NATION CRICKET
Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 8wkts in series opener
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh got off to a cracking start in its New Year schedule as the hosts comfortably tamed their resurgent African opponent, Zimbabwe, yesterday by a comprehensive eight-wicket margin in the first encounter of the Rocket tri-nation series. Bangladesh Captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza opted to field first after he won the toss at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) to justify their bowling battery, which they have been honing for the
home series since the finale of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).Though the sub-continent tracks are mostly spin-friendly, Mirpurs surface was very sporting yesterday as Bangladesh pacers took one wicket more than the spinners. The seamers claimed five wickets whereas spinners grabbed four Zimbabwe scalps.
In the opening day clash, ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan opened the bowling proceedings for Bangladesh and gave a morale-boosting breakthrough when he got rid of opener Solomon Mire and one-drop Craig Ervine in the very first over. Both Mire and Ervine left the field for ducks.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza then pushed the opponent back further when he removed dangerous opener Hamilton Masakadza (15), while Zimbabwe were steadily sprawling at three for 30.
At this situation, Sikander Raza stretched his shoulder to steady the innings and hit a couple of partnerships that saved them from initial blush.
Pakistani-origin Raza cobbled together 30 runs with wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon Taylor for the fourth wicket and another useful 50 with Malcolm Waller for the fifth-wicket stand.
This time, Mustafizur Rahman, who was struggling for his rhythm and has been searching it for a long time after his protracted injury layoff, had Brendon Taylor for 24 and spinner Sunzamul Islam trimmed Malcolm Waller for 13.
Bangladesh were in a hurry to get Raza out, making them leak some easy runs. They knew that if Raza managed to stay till the end, Zimbabwe would accumulate a fighting score.
The home side picked Sikandar Raza, though not before his ninth ODI fifty, in the fourth delivery of the 18th over. Raza was trapped into a run-out adding 52 runs to the team total.
Together with Captain Graeme Cremer, Peter Joseph Moor attempted to make another late-resistance and cracked 30 runs for the seventh wicket before Cremers departure. At this juncture of the match, Rubel Hossain waged a brilliant spell and made a possibility of his second one-day hat-trick by sending back Moor, who fell for 33, and Tendai Chatara, who got out for a golden duck.
To the end, debutant Blessing Muzarabani bravely dodged Rubel to deny him a credible hat-trick. Muzabani was the last batsman to be accounted for Mustafizur Rahman. Finally, the tourists were all-out in 49 overs and set a paltry target of 171 runs before Bangladesh.
Shakib Al Hasan scalped three wickets for 43. Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain bagged two wickets each, while Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Sunzamul Islam contributed to the teams effort with one scalps apiece.
In reply, Bangladesh started their chase through Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque Bijoy. Tamim, who was 91 runs shy to set a record of 11,000 runs across the formats, was in his usual aggressive avatar. But his partner Bijoy, who returned to the fold after a long-lull, failed to spark with bat as he fell for 19.
Shakib Al Hasan since joined Tamim and patterned for 73 runs for the second wicket stand before being trapped leg before by Sikandar Raza, who also dismissed Bijoy. Shakib missed his fifty for 13 runs.
Bangladesh needed 68 runs for winning after Shakibs fall and the third wicket stand got the team through. Together with Mushfiqur Rahim, who was not out at 14, Tamim Iqbal did the rest of the work without any fuss. The left-handed opener clubbed 84 off 93 that was studded with eight fours and one six.
Shakibs contribution with bat and ball made him the man of the match.
Zimbabwe will face Sri Lanka in the second match of the series at the same ground on Wednesday.
