Bangladesh blow away Zimbabwe

Bangladesh inflicted a massive 42-runs defeat on Zimbabwe and took a 2-0 lead in the 4-match T20 series at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Khulna today.

Chasing 168, Zimbabwe managed to score 125 for the loss of eight wickets. Hamilton Masakadza with 30 and Malcolm Waller with 29 were the only substantial contributors to their paltry total under the lights.

Bangladesh struck at regular intervals after the 50-run opening stand and never allowed the visitors to claw back into the match.

A superb bowling performance from the Tigers saw none of the bowlers concede over seven runs per over. Sabbir took three for 11 in 2.1 overs. Mustafizur limped off the field with a ball left in his spell. He captured two wickets for 19 runs.

Mashrafe, Shuvagata and Al-Amin took a wicket each.

A two-wicket burst in the 17th over by the indomitable Mustafizur Rahman basically hammered the last nail into Zimbabwe’s coffin.

Moor was in clean bowled for nine two balls later, and the Khulna crowd broke into euphoric celebration sensing victory close at hand for Bangladesh.

Madziva was castled for a duck when the batsman came down the track, swung across the line and missed a length ball completely. Al Amin snuffed out any chances of Zimbabwe’s comeback with the timely wicket of Malcolm Waller in the 16th over.

With the required run-rate touching 12, Waller had no choice but to throw the kitchen sink to everything that reached his arc. He was sent back for 29. Waller faced 21 balls and struck three fours and a six to keep Zimbabwe’s hopes alive.

Sabbir Rahman came back in the eleventh over and once again made his captain and team happy with a wicket. He sent back Mutumbani for seven, and made it extremely difficult for the visitors to come back in the match.

Mutumbani dragged a good-length ball from outside off with his slog but only managed to pick out the fielder in the deep.

Zimbabwe were reeling after the tenth over when Shuvagata Hom sent back Sean Williams for seven runs. The target of 168 seemed a bridge too far for the Zimbabweans, and they need something special from the lower order to take them home.

Tigers captain Mashrafe brought Sabbir in the ninth over and the move immediately paid dividends with the big wicket of Hamilton Masakadza.

Masakadza went down the track but only managed to hit the ball straight down the throat of long-on. The Zimbabwean opener scored 30 from 28 balls with three fours and two towering sixes.

His wicket brought Bangladesh back into the game for good!

Zimbabwe made a solid start, and looked good to take control of the match before Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe decided to take matters into his own hands.

Mashrafe brought himself to bowl in the seventh over, and kept the batters guessing with a mix of slow balls and offcutters. Sibanda dragged on a short ball onto his stumps to the delight of the home crowd.

Sibanda managed to score 21 from 17 with two fours and a six.

Zimbabwe openers Masakadza and Sibanda gave their team a flying start with some handsome boundaries early in the chase of 168.

Mashrafe experimented with spin at both ends, but the move backfired as Zimbabwe batters used the sweep shot to unsettle the opposing bowlers.

Earlier, Bangladesh reached 167 for three in 20 overs thanks to lower order cameos from Sabbir Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan at Khulna today.

Sabbir was unbeaten on 43 from 30 balls while Shakib was on 27 from 17. Both of them made full use of the loose deliveries on offer and didn’t allow any quiet overs when they were at the crease.

Their stand of 39 in four overs was just what the doctored prescribed for Bangladesh. Sabbir and Soumya top-scored with 43 while Mushy retired hurt after scoring 24.

For Zimbabwe, Muzurabani, Masakadza and Cremer took a wicket each. Cremer and Vitori were quite economical in their spells as well.

A fifty-run stand in only 5.4 overs between Sabbir Rahman and Mushfiqur Rahim raised hopes of a challenging total for Bangladesh.

Sabbir Rahman struck three sixes while Mushy scampered between the wickets to score in real quicktime.

Zimbabwe fought back with quick wickets to stem the flow of runs in the batting friendly pitch at Khulna.

The over after Soumya departed, Mahmudullah followed him soon after. Mutumbani took a sharp catch to send back the batter for only one run.

Soumya Sarkar’s promising knock was cut short in the tenth over when the batsman holed out the deep against the run of play.

Soumya came down the track to Cremer, got to the pitch, could have had a six for the taking but picked out the man at deep midwicket. He smashed 43 from 33 balls. The four fours and three sixes he struck bore the class of the player.

Bangladesh lost their opener Tamim when Muzarabani foxed the batsman with his brilliantly disguised offcutter.

Tamim went down for a lap sweep, seeing the line of the ball stray down leg stump, but he ended up with a top edge that landed into short fine leg's lap. He was looking good, and scored 23 from 17 balls with three fours and a six to his name.

Bangladesh openers Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar gave their side a strong start with some lovely shots to the delight of the home crowd.

After a spell of quiet overs, Bangladesh openers Soumya Sarkar and Tamim Iqbal broke the shackles with some spanking shots particularly in the leg side.

Soumya took the attack to the bowlers with forceful boundaries of Vitori to get things going.

Earlier, Tigers skipper Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and decided to bat first and put up a challenging score in the 2nd game of the 4-match T20 series against Zimbabwe at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Khulna.

From the experience of the first game on Friday, Mashrafe would have a fair idea about the wicket at Khulna, that tends to hold up a bit for the spinners in the second half.

If there is considerable dew under the lights, the decision to bowl second may backfire on the captain.

Both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe view this series as a chance to experiment ahead of the World T20, but neither side could fiddle too much during the first T20, which Bangladesh won in a manner that reflected the growing quality gap between the sides.

There are likely to be changes in both sides in the second T20, even if it doesn't mean personnel changes as much as batsmen and bowlers assuming new roles.

But no matter what the team managements are trying, the first T20 was proof that both sets of players weren't forgetting two fundamental roles while playing T20 cricket: providing entertainment and enjoying themselves.

Both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe view this series as a chance to experiment ahead of the World T20. Photo: STAR

Bangladesh Team

Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Shuvagata Hom, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Nurul Hasan (Wicketkeeper), Mashrafe Mortaza (Captain), Al-Amin Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman

Zimbabwe Team

H Masakadza (Captain), V Sibanda, PJ Moor, SC Williams, R Mutumbami (Wicketkeeper), MN Waller, T Muzarabani, N Madziva, BV Vitori, WP Masakadza and AG Cremer

Bangladesh cricketer Soumya Sarkar plays a shot during the second T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and South Africa at The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on July 7, 2015. Photo: AFP