Bangladesh taste 17-run defeat to Zimbabwe in 1st T20

Sikandar Raza and Wessly Madhevere made a mockery with Bangladeshi bowlers to help Zimbabwe secure a 17-run victory in the first T20 game of the three-match series at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.

Raza blasted a an unbeaten 65 off just 26, smashing seven fours and four sixes while Madhevere who retired hurt in the last over scored 67 off 46, sending the ball across the rope for nine times as Zimbabwe racked up a hefty
205-3, their second highest T20 total in their history, BSS reports.

Their highest T20 total of 236 came against Singapore earlier this month in the qualifying tournament for the 2022 T20 World Cup.

The bowlers then backed up their excellent batting by restricting Bangladesh to 188-6 even though interim captain Nurul Hasan Sohan tried his best, smacking a 42 not out off 26.

No other batters of the Bangladesh team, which is formed without any senior players for this series, could show the resolve which Sohan demonstrated.

But the damage was done in bowling after Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine chose to bat first. Bangladesh may be without any senior players but their bowling line up comprised with Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful
Islam and spinner Nasum Ahmed was their first choice attack.

But these bowlers were completely incompetent against a comparatively inexperienced Zimbabwe side. Mustafizur Rahman, considered as one of the best bowlers in T20 format, gave away 50 runs in his four overs although he took two wickets. Taskin and Shoriful conceded 42 and 45 runs respectively in their four overs and went wicketless.

Mustafizur gave Bangladesh the breakthrough in the third over, dismissing Regis Chakabva for 8.

Mosaddek then took the key wicket of Ervine after he scored 21 as Zimbabwe were left to 43-2 after the first powerplay.