A dominant batting display took Bangladesh to a 48-run victory in the first of two T20Is against Zimbabwe at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Monday.
Chasing 201 to win, Zimbabwe folded for 152 in 19 overs.
After Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams won the toss and elect to field first, Bangladesh openers Liton Kumar Das and Tamim Iqbal gave the team another blistering start. After a record 292 run opening stand in the third and final ODI against the African nation, Tamim and Liton this time broke Bangladesh’s record for biggest opening stand in T20Is.
The duo put 92 runs on the board before Tamim was caught out while trying to clear the boundary. The previous record of 74 had also been set by Tamim and Liton against Sri Lanka in 2018.
Bangladesh’s Soumya Sarkar plays a shot Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik
Tamim had scored 41 off 33 deliveries, including three fours and two sixes, before he was dismissed in the 11th over. Liton was majestic at the other end and scored 59 off just 39 deliveries with his all-round stroke play. His entertaining innings included five fours and three sixes.
Following Tamim’s dismissal, Soumya Sarker came to the crease to bat at number three. The left hander played an explosive innings of his own to ensure that the Tigers had a healthy run rate from beginning to end.
Soumya’s five sixes and four fours ensured that Bangladesh posted a huge total off 200 in their stipulated 20 overs. Two of his sixes came on the last two balls of the Bangladesh innings, with one going over long off and the other over square leg.
Skipper Mahmudullah finished unbeaten on 14 while Mushfiqur Rahim scored 17 for the Tigers.
Veteran Zimbabwe pacer Chris Mphofu took two wckets but conceded 58 runs in his four overs.
In reply, Zimbabwe were under pressure straight from the get go after losing the experienced Brendon Taylor in the second over. Taylor has been in a bad run of form throughout the tour, and only managed 1 run off five deliveries before he was caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of pacer Shafiul Islam.
Zimbabwe continued to lose wickets at regular intervals during the chase, and no batsmen in their top six managed to score more than 30 runs.
Mustafizur Rahman bowls Dhaka Tribune/Md Manik
Opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe scored 28 while Richmond Mutumbami and Sean Williams scored 20 in the middle order.
Donald Tiripano and Carl Mumba scored a quick fire 20 and 25, respectively, in the late stages but their efforts were in vain.
Leg spinner Aminul Islam and left arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman picked up three wickets each for Bangladesh.
The second and final T20I of the series will be played on Wednesday evening at the same venue.
1ST T20I
BANGLADESH INNINGS R B
Tamim c Williams b Madhevere 41 33
Liton lbw b Raza 59 39
Soumya not out 62 32
Mushfiqur c Williams b Mpofu 17 8
Mahmudullah not out 14 9
Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 4) 7
TOTAL (3Wickets, 20 Overs) 200
Fall of wickets: 1-92 (Tamim Iqbal, 10.2 ov), 2-106 (Liton Das, 12.6 ov), 3-146 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 15.5 ov)
BOWLING
Raza 4-0-31-1, Mumba 2-0-24-0, Tiripano 4-0-39 -0, Mpofu 4-0-58-1, Madhevere 2-0-15-1, Williams 4-0-31-0
ZIMBABWE INNINGS R B
Kamunhukamwe c Liton b Aminul 28 20
Taylor c Soumya b Shafiul 1 5
Ervine lbw b Mustafizur 8 9
Madhevere run out (Afif /Mushfiqur) 4 5
Williams c Soumya b Aminul 20 12
Raza c Mushfiqur b Afif 10 14
Mutumbami c Liton b Mustafizur 20 13
Mutombodzi c Mustafizur b Aminul 2 4
Tiripano b Saifuddin 20 13
Mumba c Liton b Mustafizur 25 16
Mpofu not out 2 3
Extras (lb 1, w 11) 12
TOTAL (All out, 19 Overs) 152
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Brendan Taylor, 1.6 ov), 2-30 (Craig Ervine, 4.2 ov), 3-37 (Wesley Madhevere, 5.3 ov), 4-69 (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, 8.2 ov), 5-69 (Sean Williams, 8.3 ov), 6-83 (Sikandar Raza, 11.3 ov), 7-100 (Tinotenda Mutombodzi, 12.6 ov), 8-107 (Richmond Mutumbami, 14.1 ov), 9-130 (Donald Tiripano, 16.4 ov), 10-152 (Carl Mumba, 18.6 ov)
BOWLING
Mustafizur 4-0-32-3, Shafiul 3-0-19-1, Saifuddin 3-0-19-1, Mahedi Hasan 4-0-29-0, Aminul Islam 3-0-34-3, Afif 2-0-18-1
Bangladesh won by 48 runs
MoM: Soumya Sarkar (BAN)
