Bangladesh clinched the three-match T20I series 2-1 with a thrilling four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the decider at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.
Chasing 144, they rode on Tanzid Hasan Tamim’s unbeaten half-century to get home with two balls to spare after a tense final over. The victory provided a welcome consolation after Bangladesh had lost both the one-off Test and the ODI series earlier in the tour.
Bangladesh needed five runs from the final over. Tanzid rotated the strike off the first ball before Brad Evans bowled Mosaddek Hossain Saikat with a full toss. Mohammad Saifuddin then tried to clear the long-on boundary but was caught by Ryan Burl on the very next delivery.
The drama continued when Sheikh Mahedi Hasan missed the following ball and appeared set to be trapped lbw. However, the umpire called it a dead ball after ruling that a Zimbabwe fielder had moved before Evans entered his delivery stride. Mahedi made the most of the reprieve by driving the next ball through extra cover for four to seal victory.
Earlier in the chase, Saif Hassan failed to build on his fifty from the previous match, where he had survived five dropped catches. This time he managed just four before pulling a Richard Ngarava bouncer to Blessing Muzarabani.
Tanzid and Parvez Hossain Emon steadied the innings with a 55-run partnership for the second wicket. After a cautious start, both batters accelerated once the powerplay ended. Emon struck two sixes and a four in his 24 off 22 balls before holing out to Sikandar Raza.
Bangladesh then took control through a 63-run stand in 44 balls between Tanzid and captain Towhid Hridoy. Hridoy contributed a brisk 24 from 19 deliveries before departing, while Tanzid anchored the chase from the other end. The opener brought up his second consecutive fifty of the series and the 13th of his T20I career, finishing unbeaten on 66 from 58 balls.
Earlier, Zimbabwe were restricted to 143 for 7 after choosing to bat first. Opener Tadiwanashe Marumani fell in the second over when Yasir Ali took a catch off Sheikh Mahedi Hasan. Brian Bennett and Dion Myers then rebuilt with a 71-run partnership before Mohammad Saifuddin broke the stand by clean bowling Bennett with a yorker.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, playing his record 314th international match, was dismissed after pulling Rishad Hossain to Yasir Ali at deep midwicket with the score on 103. Ryan Burl and Brad Evans failed to make significant contributions, but Myers held the innings together with a superb 73 from 53 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes before becoming the final wicket to fall.
Bangladesh’s bowlers excelled at the death. Saifuddin, Abdul Gaffar Saqlain and Taskin Ahmed combined to concede just 25 runs in the final four overs while claiming four wickets. Saifuddin finished with two wickets, while Rishad, Sheikh Mahedi and Saklain picked up one each as Bangladesh set up a memorable series-clinching victory.
