Bangladesh were bowled out for 234 while chasing 248 in the second ODI of the three-match series against Zimbabwe, suffering a 13-run defeat that handed the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead. The defeat at Harare Sports Club on Thursday meant Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s side conceded the series with one match still to play.
Bangladesh needed 14 runs from the final 12 deliveries with one wicket in hand. Their hopes ended when captain Miraz, the last batter dismissed, pulled a short ball from Richard Ngarava straight to Brad Evans with 11 balls remaining.
The chase got off to a shaky start as Soumya Sarkar and No. 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto fell inside the first 38 runs. Soumya scored 5, while Shanto managed 9.
Tanzid Hasan and Towhid Hridoy then rebuilt the innings with an 84-run stand for the third wicket. Tanzid brought up his eighth ODI fifty before being bowled by Brian Bennett while attempting a slog sweep. He scored 57 off 70 balls. Hridoy’s dismissal followed soon after, with the gritty 60-run knock coming to an end against Wesley Madhevere. Mosaddek Hossain also failed to make an impact, falling for 7 after top-edging a pull off Ngarava.
Nurul Hasan Sohan kept Bangladesh in the contest with a 31-run partnership alongside Miraz, but threw away his wicket at a crucial stage. With Rishad Hossain and Taskin Ahmed unable to provide meaningful support, the responsibility fell solely on Miraz. The captain fought until the end but was dismissed for 27 off 33 balls as Bangladesh fell short.
Ngarava led Zimbabwe’s bowling attack with three wickets, while Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans claimed two each.
Earlier, Zimbabwe recovered from an early collapse to post 247 for 6, thanks to an unbeaten 111 from Ben Curran and a blistering 58 not out from Evans.
After electing to field first, Bangladesh made the ideal start. Taskin Ahmed struck twice with the new ball to leave Zimbabwe at 8 for 2. Miraz and Nahid Rana then picked up two more wickets as the hosts slipped to 66 for 4.
Curran steadied the innings with a 68-run fifth-wicket partnership with Sikandar Raza. Miraz later removed Raza for 33, with Towhid Hridoy taking the catch, before Rishad Hossain dismissed Clive Madande, who edged a turning delivery behind to wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan.
Curran and Evans then wrestled back control of the innings. Curran anchored the batting to register his second ODI century, while Evans counterattacked with an aggressive unbeaten 58 off 38 balls, hitting five sixes and two fours. Zimbabwe finished strongly, with Evans taking 22 runs off Taskin in the final over, including three sixes and a four.
Taskin and Miraz finished with two wickets each for Bangladesh, while Nahid Rana and Rishad Hossain took one apiece.
