Tigers toy with Zimbabweans
Seal ODI series 3-0
SPORTS REPORTER
In a dour sensational bowling, full of sustained aggression and cunning variations, fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman claimed his third five-for to ensure Bangladeshs series sweep over clueless Zimbabwe with a yet another convincing 61 runs victory in the third ODI yesterday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The victory gave Bangladesh its 11th whitewash victory in ODI series.
The pace sensation returned with figures of five for 34 to help the side wrap up Zimbabwe for 215 after the hosts posted a respectable 276 for nine. Mustafizurs third five-for came in just nine appearances that proves that the burden of expectation inspired him to deliver his best.
The 19-year-old who stormed into the international cricket with consecutive five and six-wicket hauls against India in last June, tested the visiting batsmen in his three spells, leaving them often confounded with his lethal cutter, his stock delivery, and varied the length repeatedly.
In his first spell, he sliced the top order claiming two openers- Chamu Chibhabha (4) and Regis Chakabva (17), with two deliveries that were almost unplayable. Nasir Hossain took out Craig Ervine (21) to leave Zimbabwe at 47 for three but Sean Williams provided a solid resistance in the wake of yet another embarrassing defeat.
Bangladesh won the first match by a margin of 145 runs and second one by 58.
Williams shared 80 runs with Chigumbura (45) before the latter was undone by a quicker delivery of leg-spinner Sabbir Rahman. Malcolm Waller (32) also gave a handy support as Williams added further 59 runs with him to keep the side in contention. Fast bowler Al-Amin Hossain removed Waller to break the partnership as it looked threatening at one phase. But the crucial breakthrough came when skipper Mashrafe Mortaza nailed Williams who hit five fours in his 84 ball-64, with a short delivery.
Zimbabwe were at 186 for six and Mustafizur Rahman stepped up. He raised a prospect of hat-trick, getting rid of Sikandar Raza (9) and Luke Jongwe (11) in consecutive deliveries. Sabbir Rahman took a stunner to gift Mustafizur the wicket of Raza as he ran from mid-on and dived full-length to his left to complete the catch at mid-off. Graeme Cremer resisted the hat-trick delivery successfully but the Satkhira-born lad completed his five-for, taking out Tinshae Panyangara (3) with a whipping cutter in his next over.
In a bid to give him his sixth, Mashrafe kept eight fielders in close circle but No. 11 Taurai Muzurabani denied the 19-year old, dealing with the rest of the four deliveries nervously, yet successfully.
Arafat Sunny singed off the match, dismissing Muzurabani to help Bangladesh inflict consecutive second whitewash on Zimbabwe after sweeping the five-match series in last December.
Earlier, Bangladesh squandered a golden chance of going past 300 runs for the first time in the series but
still left Zimbabwe a daunting task to avoid the series sweep by amassing 276 for nine.
Openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes combined for a 147-run partnership in 29.3 overs, Bangladeshs fifth highest opening stand, to lay a solid platform which the middle order couldnt capitalize on a batting favourable surface. Injudicious shot selections and Zimbabwe bowlers disciplined bowling basically sparked the collapse in the middle order that resisted Bangladesh from scoring 300 plus runs.
Both Tamim and Kayes struck 73 runs each while Mahmudullah Riyad smashed a fluent 40 ball-52, his first half-century since the world cup. Mushfiqur Rahim, the mainstay of Bangladeshs middle order also got the start but played a rash shot to be stumped after scoring 28 off 25 to reel his side 190 for three. His dismissal sparked the collapse as Bangladesh lost four wickets for 36 runs hand the onus was left to out-of-form Mahmudullah Riyad to take the side in a good position. Despite a run-out debate, he delivered his best to ensure Bangladesh would finish on a high.
