After returning to international T20 cricket for the first time in three years, Yasir Ali Rabby marked his comeback with a brilliant fifty. However, Bangladesh’s batting failure saw them fall 32 runs short while chasing 171 against Zimbabwe in the first T20I of the three-match series on Thursday.
At Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s pace duo Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani ran through the Bangladesh batting lineup as the visitors were bowled out for 138 with an over to spare.
Nahid Rana’s career-best bowling performance gave Bangladesh hope, but Zimbabwe survived a mid-innings wobble with a late batting surge to post 170. The right-arm pacer finished with figures of 4 for 26 from four overs, including three wickets for just eight runs in his first three overs. However, his final over proved expensive as Brad Evans smashed four boundaries to take 18 runs and help Zimbabwe reach a challenging total.
Chasing 171, Bangladesh started with a 25-run opening stand between Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan Tamim but lost their first three wickets before reaching 34. Richard Ngarava removed both openers, while Parvez Hossain Emon fell to Blessing Muzarabani while attempting to clear mid-off.
Towhid Hridoy tried to rebuild the innings with Yasir Ali, adding 39 runs for the fourth wicket, but he departed after scoring 14. Nurul Hasan also failed to make a significant impact after being run out.
Bangladesh briefly returned to the contest through a 52-run partnership between Yasir and Sheikh Mahedi Hasan. Yasir brought up his maiden T20I fifty off 32 balls, hitting two sixes and three fours. However, Bangladesh’s hopes faded quickly as they lost their final five wickets for just eight runs.
Mahedi was caught at mid-off while attempting to attack Muzarabani after scoring 19, before Ngarava dismissed Yasir four balls later for a brilliant 54.
Ngarava and Muzarabani claimed four wickets each, while Milton Shumba picked up one.
Earlier, Zimbabwe made a flying start after being asked to bat first, scoring 54 runs for one wicket in the powerplay. Nahid Rana’s fiery spell then put the hosts under pressure, but Ryan Burl’s 30 off 25 balls and Brad Evans’ late 19 off 10 balls helped Zimbabwe recover and finish on 170 for 6 in 20 overs.
Nahid broke the 37-run opening stand between Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani before dismissing Bennett, who had scored 44 off 30 balls. Returning for his second spell, Rana created a hat-trick opportunity by removing Milton Shumba and Tashinga Musekiwa with the first two deliveries of his third over.
Earlier, Mohammad Saifuddin had also kept Bangladesh in control during the middle overs, taking two wickets. His second victim was Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, who scored 20 off 13 balls, while Dion Myers fell after pulling a short delivery to Rishad Hossain at mid-wicket.
