Bangladesh turns around to win series
Collected Photo
Finally, the joy of a series victory came on Zimbabwean soil. Bangladesh had lost the ODI series after the Tests. The start of the T20 series was also a loss. After that, the men in red and green made a brilliant comeback to clinch the twenty-over series.
Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 4 wickets in the third and final T20. Chasing the hosts' total of 143/7 in Bulawayo, Towhid Hridoy's men secured the win with 2 balls to spare.
Bangladeshi cricketers weren't able to adapt properly to Zimbabwe's conditions. Besides, batting coach Mohammad Ashraful had mentioned that they would struggle on the bouncy wickets. This was reflected in the T20 series. However, having stayed in the country for a long time, Hridoy's men adapted brilliantly to the conditions and wickets. So, despite starting the twenty-over series with a loss, they made a great turnaround.
Bangladesh did not let the hosts gain the upper hand in the final T20. Zimbabwe's total reached 143 thanks to Dion Myers' brilliant batting. Coming in at number three, the batter played an innings of 73 runs. His 53-ball innings featured 7 boundaries and 2 sixes. Additionally, opener Brian Bennett scored 47 runs off 38 balls.
No one else could stand up against the Bangladeshi bowlers. Taskin Ahmed didn't take any wickets, but he conceded only 16 runs in his 4 overs. Mohammad Saifuddin shone in this match as well, taking 2 wickets for 35 runs in his 4 overs.
Chasing the target of 144, Bangladesh suffered an early setback, losing Saif Hasan (4) in the very first over of the innings. However, a 55-run partnership for the second wicket between Tanjid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon brought the team back into the match. Emon was out for 24 runs off Sikandar Raza's bowling. After that, Tanjid Tamim kept the scoreboard moving alongside captain Towhid Hridoy. The opener brought up his fighting half-century off 45 balls, which included 3 sixes and 1 four.
Bangladesh needed 5 runs in the final over. After losing the wickets of Mosaddek Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin on consecutive balls, Bangladesh came under pressure. Later, Sheikh Mehedi came to the crease and sealed the win for the Tigers with a boundary. Tanjid remained unbeaten on 66 runs.
