Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe in first ODI

A Shakib al-Hasan inspired Bangladesh tore through Zimbabwe’s limp batting performance, to record an emphatic 155-run victory, at Harare Sports Club on Friday.

Shakib took five wickets for just 30 runs on is way to becoming Bangladesh’s highest taker in ODIs. He moved to 274 scalps in 213 matches.

Zimbabwe were bowled out for 121, chasing 277.

Having won the toss, Zimbabwe restricted the visitors to 276 for the loss of nine wickets.

Opener Liton Das led the way, scoring 102, even as wickets fell on the other end.

After some tight bowling at the start, Tamim Iqbal fell for a duck to Blessing Muzarabani.

Shakib was next out for 19, again to Muzarabani.

The main partnership was between Liton and Mahmudullah, who together put on 91 for the sixth wicket. The latter went out for for 33, the first of Luke Jongwe’s three victims.

Liton finally fell to Richard Ngarava, caught in the deep by substitute Wellington Masakadza. Masakadza would end up involved in three dismissals, a second catch and a run-out.

Regis Chakabva with the gloves, was responsible for five dismissals, four of them as catches and a run-out.

Bangladesh finished their innings on 276 for the loss of nine wickets, which by recent standards was and proved to be too far for Zimbabwe.

Jongwe was three for 51, Muzarabani two for 47 and Ngarava two for 61.

Debutant Tadiwanashe Marumani, exciting in the T20 domestic tournament did not have time to flatter, falling for a duck off four balls.

Zimbabwe’s runs all came in the middle, Taylor (24), debutant Dion Myers (18) and top scorer Chakava (54).

With Timycen Maruma pulling a lower hamstring while fielding, Zimbabwe were always in trouble and went in with a specialist batter less, already carrying a long tail.

It is 10 points for Bangladesh and Zimbabwe stand-in captain Taylor is 24 runs away from being Zimbabwe’s second-highest ODI runmaker for the country. Also he said his young chargers simply have to get their minds right.

Oh, and in case you wondering, Taylor is 232 runs behind Andy Flower’s redord.