Bangladesh brushed aside the Zimbabwe challenge to pick up their third bonus point win as they won by 91 runs in the fifth match of the tri-series at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday (January 23). Set 217, Zimbabwe folded for 125 in 36.3 overs. Zimbabwe, though, aren't yet out of contention. If Sri Lanka lose to Bangladesh in the last game before the final, there's still a chance of Zimbabwe reaching the all-important clash.
Zimbabwe were knocked out of the contest when they were reduced to 20 for 3 in the seventh over. The early wickets meant the chase never really got going and they were forced to play catch-up throughout the chase. With the dying pitching offering no pace at all for stroke-making, it was always going to be a tough task for the Zimbabwe batsmen even after they kept Bangladesh to 216 for 9.
Bangladesh started with Shakib Al Hasan but it was Mashrafe Mortaza who got the first breakthrough. However, the left-arm spinner came back with twin blows and dismissed Solomon Mire and Brendan Taylor. While Mire was beaten by the lack of bounce on the track and was bowled, Taylor was trapped plumb in front.
Sikandar Raza and Peter Moor rebuilt the innings for a while and scored 34 for the fifth wicket. At the end of the 20th over, Zimbabwe were 58 for 4 and with the asking rate climbing up, there weren't too many options left for them. Sunzamul Islam dismissed Moor and Malcolm Waller on consecutive deliveries to leave Zimbabwe gasping at 68 for 6.
Graeme Cremer made 23 while Sikandar Raza fought hard with 39 but the hosts proved too good yet again for Zimbabwe.
Earlier, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib scored half-centuries to prop up Bangladesh but Cremer and Kyle Jarvis picked up seven of the nine wickets to fall. Jarvis nipped out Anamul Haque early on with just six on the board. However, the visitors were made to toil as Tamim (76) and Shakib (51) scored 106 for the second wicket. With the pitch offering no pace at all, boundaries were hard to come by but the experienced batsmen didn't throw away their wickets in frustration and started to rebuild the innings.
The 100 of the innings came in the 25th over. Shakib reached his half-century off 78 balls in the next over but fell soon after. Trying to up the ante, he charged down the track to Sikandar Raza and was stumped. Tamim too reached his half-century soon after but failed to carry on.
Mushfiqur Rahim fell for 18, Mahmudullah could only manage two and Tamim, probably frustrated at the lack of support, threw away his wicket. He was stumped off Cremer's bowling as Bangladesh slipped to 163 for 5 from 112 for 1. Sabbir Rahman and Nasir Hossain too failed to get going and the procession continued as the hosts allowed Zimbabwe to fight back in the contest.
The Bangladesh batsmen went too hard too early and hence had to endure a collapse but that didn't hurt them much after the bowlers came up with a clinical performance.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 216/9 in 50 overs (Tamim Iqbal 76, Shakib Al Hasan 51; Graeme Cremer 4-32, Kyle Jarvis 3-42) beat Zimbabwe 125 in 36.3 overs (Shakib 3-34) by 91 runs.
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