Hosts Bangladesh 0-1 down in Test series with Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe took 1-0 lead in a two-Test series against host Bangladesh with a 151-run victory in the first match that ended in the second session on day-four at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

The visitors dismantled Bangladesh for 169 for all in 63.1 overs in the second innings for their third overseas Test win. Zimbabwe’s last overseas victory was in November 2001 also against Bangladesh by eight wickets in Chattogram.

Zimbabwe, however, got the first win against Bangladesh after four successive losses, since April 2013.This is Bangladesh’s seventh failure against Zimbabwe among their 15 Test encounters of which three ended in draws since April 2001.

The remarkable job in the match for any Bangladesh players was done by spinner Taijul Islam by hitting his best bowling figure in a Test match with a haul of 11-wicket for 170 runs. He thrived on both innings by grabbing 5/62 in the second innings and 6/108 in the first innings.

The series deciding second match will begin on November 11 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.Bangladesh started the fourth day to chase a 295-run target, but Zimbabwean bowlers–Brandon Mavuta [4/21], Sikandar Raza [3/41], Wellington Masakadza [2/33] and Kyle Jarvis [1/29] — packed all 10 wickets within 53 overs.

Having 282 runs in the first innings, Bangladesh resumed their second innings with overnight score of 26 for no loss in 10.1 overs, but lost their half force for 111 runs in 46.5 overs at launch and lost the remaining wickets for only 58 off 16.2.Overnight batsman Imrul Kayes was the big hitter in the innings scoring 43 off 103 balls, including six boundaries, before being bowled out by Sikandar Raza on 83/3 in 36.5 overs.

Debut Ariful Haque [38 off 37b; 4×4; 2×6] was another notable scorer while Liton Kumar Das was out for 23, sharing a 56 off 23 overs in the overnight opening stand with Kayes. Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad score 16 while Mushfiqur Rahim and Nazmul Hossain Shanto could hardly reach double digit adding 13 runs each.

Brief Score:

Zimbabwe 1st innings: 282/10 in 117.3 overs; Sean Williams 88, Peter Moor 63*, Hamilton Masakadza 52, Taijul Islam 6/108, Nazmul Islam2/49, Mahmudullah Riyad 1/3, Abu Jayed 1/68.

Zimbabwe 2nd innings: 181/10 in 65.4 overs (overnight 1/0 in 2 overs); Hamilton Masakadza 48, Sikandar Raza 25, Brendan Taylor 24, Sean Williams 20, Regis Chakabva 20, Taijul Islam 5/62, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 3/48, Nazmul Islam 2/27.

Bangladesh 1st innings: 143/10 in 51 overs; Ariful Haque 41*, Mushfiqur Rahim 31, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 21, Mominul Haque 11, TendaiChatara 3/19, Sikandar Raza 3/35, Kyle Jarvis 2/28, Sean Williams 1/5.

Bangladesh 2nd innings: 169/10 in 63.1 overs(overnight 26/0 in 10.1 overs); Imrul Kayes 43, Ariful Haque 38, Liton Kumar Das 23, Mahmudullah 16, Nazmul Hossain Shanto13, Mushfiqur Rahim 13, Brandon Mavuta 4/21, Sikandar Raza 3/41, Wellington Masakadza 2/33, Kyle Jarvis 1/29.

source: UNB