DHAKA, Bangladesh: In a gripping finale to the Twenty20 international series in Dhaka, Zimbabwe emerged victorious, securing an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh to avoid a potential 5-0 whitewash.
Captain Sikandar Raza led the charge with an impressive unbeaten 72 off 46 balls, steering Zimbabwe to victory after restricting Bangladesh to 157-6.
Contributing to Zimbabwe’s triumph was Brian Bennett, who showcased a stellar all-round performance with a blistering 70 off 49 balls and figures of 2-20 with the ball.
Despite the early loss of opener Tadiwanashe Marumani, Bennett and Raza formed a formidable partnership, adding 75 runs for the second wicket to firmly establish control.
Bangladesh, earlier asked to bat first, faced early setbacks at 15-3 before Mahmudullah Riyad’s resilient 54 off 44 balls, supported by skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, helped the hosts recover. However, the efforts were curtailed by Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling, notably by Bennett and Blessing Muzarabani, who made early breakthroughs.
Although Mahmudullah’s aggressive batting and Shakib Al Hasan’s cameo provided some momentum, Zimbabwe’s bowlers, including Luke Jongwe, managed to restrict Bangladesh’s total.
Jaker Ali Anik’s unbeaten 24 off 11 balls added late impetus, but it wasn’t enough to deter Zimbabwe’s determined chase.
