Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe in first ODI. After Liton Das’s hundred, Shakib picked up a five-for to seal a comfortable 155-run win over Zimbabwe in Harare.
More importantly, they pocket ten World Cup Super League points.
Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor won the toss and asked Bangladesh to bat first in the first of the three-match ODI series Friday at the Harare Sports Club.
In a bid to use the early moisture of the pitch, Zimbabwe captain decided to bowl first in the opening game and his bowler proved the decision right, reducing Bangladesh to 62-3 in the first hour of the match.
Fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani was the wrecker-in-chief, taking 2-14 while another fast bowler Tendai Chatara scalped one wicket.
Shakib started his onslaught with the crucial wicket of Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor. In the 15th over, Taylor tried to slog sweep a Shakib delivery but was only able to get a top edge on it. Taskin Ahmed at short fine leg took a simple catch as Taylor walked back after a 31-ball 24. With that wicket, Shakib also became the player with most wickets in ODIs for Bangladesh.
Shakib then removed Ryan Burl in the 21st over when he too perished trying to slog sweep the left-armer. And Luke Jongwe’s run-out in the very next over meant Zimbabwe were in deep trouble.
The hosts’ trouble only compounded when Shakib struck again, this time trapping Blessing Muzarabani in front in the 23rd over.
This is also the Tigers’ biggest win away from home.
Zimbabwe once again squandered a strong position, first with the ball and then with the bat when Taylor and Chakabva were batting.
But once Shakib removed Taylor, there was little help for Chakabva from the other end. Losing a batter to injury didn’t help either.
Shakib became the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in ODIs on his way to a five-for.
Apart from Shakib, Taskin, Saifuddin, Miraz all picked up a wicket each.
Taskin, Saifuddin make early inroads. Defending a commendable total, pacers Mohammad Saifuddin and Taskin Ahmed had early success as Bangladesh made a decent start with the bowl in the first ODI against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club today.
Strikes from Saifuddin and Taskin had reduced Zimbabwe to two for 25 after seven overs in response to Bangladesh’s total 276 for nine.
Saifuddin gave Tigers their first breakthrough when Zimbabwe opener Tadiwanashe Marumani chopped one onto his stumps while trying to cut a good length delivery that was coming in to the left-hander after pitching. Marumani, who is on his debut, walked back without troubling the scorers.
Taskin then made Wesley Madhevere’s stumps take a flight with a delivery that nipped back in and went through the gap between bat and pad.
