Bangladesh suffered a stunning batting collapse to waste Nahid Rana’s record-breaking spell, slumping to a 25-run defeat against Zimbabwe in the opening ODI of the three-match series at Harare Sports Club on Monday.
Chasing a modest target of 142, Bangladesh were bowled out for just 116 after failing to cope with Zimbabwe’s disciplined pace attack, handing the hosts a 1-0 lead in the series.
It was the lowest target Bangladesh have failed to chase in an ODI in a match where the full 50 overs were available. For Zimbabwe, it was their fourth-lowest successfully defended total in ODI cricket.
Earlier, Nahid Rana had produced a sensational display of fast bowling as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 141 in 36.4 overs. The right-arm pacer claimed career-best figures of 6-21 from 10 overs, including two maidens, to register the best bowling figures by a Bangladeshi in ODI cricket, eclipsing Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s previous record of 6-26. He also became only the second Bangladesh bowler after Mustafizur Rahman to take three five-wicket hauls in a calendar year.
Despite Rana’s heroics, Bangladesh’s batting let them down. The visitors lost their top three batters for just 17 runs as Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar all threw away their wickets while attempting attacking strokes.
Towhid Hridoy and Nurul Hasan Sohan briefly steadied the innings with a 49-run partnership. However, after spending time at the crease, Hridoy fell for 22, top-edging a bouncer from Newman Nyamhuri to third man after facing 58 deliveries.
Nyamhuri struck again shortly after as Mosaddek Hossain edged behind for four.
Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz also failed to make an impact, lofting Richard Ngarava to deep point where Brian Bennett completed the catch.
Sohan, who top-scored with 31, was trapped lbw by Brad Evans after missing the line of the ball. Evans added two more wickets, dismissing Rishad Hossain, who edged to Sikandar Raza at slip, and Taskin Ahmed, who was caught attempting a big hit.
Evans and Ngarava finished with three wickets each, while Blessing Muzarabani and Nyamhuri claimed two apiece.
Earlier, Zimbabwe’s openers Ben Curran and Brian Bennett made a positive start after the hosts were asked to bat. The breakthrough came through a brilliant piece of fielding from Miraz, whose direct throw ran out Curran for 18 with the score on 36.
In the same over, Bennett fell for 17, edging Taskin Ahmed to point, before the pacer cleaned up Craig Ervine in his next over.
Rana then took control, dismissing Sikandar Raza for one, Wessly Madhevere for a duck, Clive Madande for two and Innocent Kaia for 26 as Zimbabwe collapsed dramatically.
He completed his five-wicket haul by trapping Brad Evans lbw before returning to bowl Richard Ngarava and finish with six wickets. Zimbabwe recovered from 70-8 thanks to a fighting 63-run ninth-wicket stand between Ngarava and Newman Nyamhuri, a partnership that lifted the total to 141 before Rana eventually broke it by bowling Ngarava.
