The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
DESPITE Zimbabwe having posted what looked like a competitive total, Bangladesh still achieved a 3-0 whitewash over the home team after they won the third One Day International Cricket match by five wickets at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.
Luke Jongwe, Wesley Madhevere and Ryan Burl celebrate a wicket
Zimbabwe scored 298 in 49.3 overs but their bowlers failed to defend what looked like a competitive total as Bangladesh made 302/5 in 48 overs to win the match with 12 balls to spare. The Bangladesh run chase was led by captain Tamim Iqbal whose 112 runs of 97 deliveries sapped the energy off the Zimbabwean bowling attack and won him the Man-of-the-match award. When Iqbal fell in the 35th over, Bangladesh still required 95 runs but they still got over the line, thanks to an unbeaten 45 off 36 balls from wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan.
Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl put on 112 runs for the sixth wicket for Zimbabwe
Earlier on, opening batsman Regis Chakabva top scored with a career best 84, with Zimbabwe’s innings also given some life by Ryan Burl’s 59 and Sikandar Raza who made 57. Burl and Raza put on 112 runs for the sixth wicket, a partnership which gave Zimbabwe’s innings some impetus.
The dismissal of Burl and Raza killed the momentum that could have taken Zimbabwe way over 300 runs as Bangladesh mopped up the remaining batsmen for little runs.
Mustafizur Rahman finished with 3/57, Mohammad Saifuddin went for an expensive 3/87 while Mahmudullah took 2/45.
While the Zimbabwean bowlers have done well in the opening two matches, they failed to exert some early pressure on the Bangladesh batsmen. Iqbal and Liton Das put on an opening stand of 88 until the latter fell in the 14th over, off spinner Wesley Madhevere with the breakthrough. Shakib Al Hasan, who made an unbeaten 96 in the second ODI, fell for 30 this time around when he was removed by Luke Jongwe. Zimbabwe did pick up three more wickets but failed to prevent the visitors from cantering to victory with two full overs left.
Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das put on an opening stand of 88 for Bangladesh
Al Hasan walked away with the Man of the series award for his brilliant all round display in the three matches.
Bangladesh took all 30 points on offer in this International Cricket Council Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series. The Tigers are second on the 13-team log with 80 points while Zimbabwe are bottom with just 10 points they picked up in the Super Over triumph they achieved over Pakistan away last year.
The two teams now turn their attention to the three-match Twenty20 International series, whose matches are set for Harare Sports Club on 22, 23 and 25 July._@Mdawini_29
