Chevrons hunt for win over Bangladesh

07 Aug, 2022 - 00:08 0 Views
Chevrons hunt for win over Bangladesh Sikandar Raza and Innocent Kaia

The Sunday News

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE have a great opportunity to wrap up the three-match One Day International cricket series against Bangladesh when the two teams collide in the second ODI at Harare Sports Club today.

A brilliant run chase, aided by fine centuries from Sikandar Raza and Innocent Kaia fired Zimbabwe to victory by five wickets in the opening ODI on Friday.

Unbelievable as it was, Friday’s win was the first for Zimbabwe against Bangladesh since May 2013 when the Chevrons overpowered the Tigers by seven wickets at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Friday’s victory brought an end to 19 consecutive wins for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe in ODIs.

Sikandar Raza raises his bat as Innocent Kaia looks on

It was also in 2013 that Zimbabwe last won an ODI series win over Bangladesh when they triumphed 2-1 in a three-match contest.

Raza continued with his magnificent form when he top scored with an unbeaten 135 off 109 deliveries while Kaia notched up his maiden ODI hundred as he made 110 from 122 deliveries to take the home team over the line.

Sikandar Raza raises his bat

Kaia and Raza became only the second pair to score hundreds in the same ODI innings for Zimbabwe. Stuart Carlisle and Sean Ervine became the first such pair when they scored against India during the 2004 VB Series at the Adelaide Oval in Australia.

The two put up a 192 run partnership, the third highest stand for Zimbabwe in ODI cricket.

The highest is the 224-run opening stand by Raza with Hamilton Masakadza against Afghanistan in 2014, while Carlisle and Ervine added 202 for the fourth wicket against India in 2004.

Another notable milestone is that the 304 Target chased by Zimbabwe in the first ODI. It is their highest successful target against Bangladesh in ODIs and their joint-third highest chase.

Innocent Kaia celebrates his maiden ODI hundred

Their previous highest successful chase against Bangladesh was 258, way back in 1999 in Dhaka.

Raza also reached his century in 81 balls, the third fastest for Zimbabwe in ODI cricket.

The fastest hundred is by Sean Williams off 77 balls against the UAE in 2019, while Brendan Taylor scored a 79-ball ton against Ireland in the 2015 World Cup.

Zimbabwe also became only the third team to successfully chase down a target of 300-plus runs against Bangladesh in ODIs.

Pakistan chased 327 during the 2014 Asia Cup in Mirpur, while England chased down 306 during the 2017 Champions Trophy.

Dave Houghton, the Zimbabwean coach will also look to continue with his fine start to his latest stint, which has seen him win eight out of nine matches since he took over from Lalchand Rajput in June.  — Follow on Twitter @Mdawini_29

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