The Zimbabwe national cricket team has come to Bangladesh to play five T20 matches. This arrangement between two teams is mainly for the 2024 upcoming T20 Cricket World Cup. Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have qualified for this year's T20 World Cup held in America and West Indies. This series is going to be a trump card for both teams as a last-minute preparation before the main stage of the World Cup!
The two teams met yesterday in the first T20I of the five-match T20I series. The match was held at MA Aziz Cricket Stadium in Chittagong. Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hasan Shanto won the toss at the beginning of the match. Shanto invited Zimbabwe to bat first on home soil. Bangladesh have lined up the XI with the players they have in their World Cup plans. However, in this match Shakib Al Hasan and Mostafizur Rahman were out of the XI.
Two openers Joylord Gambie and Krige Ervine came to bat for Zimbabwe on the invitation of Bangladesh. However, these two openers failed to make a good start for the team. The visitors lost the first wicket for the team's 8 runs. After Crige Ervine's departure, Brian Bennett and Joylord Gambie tried to build resistance for the team. But the team lost another wicket at a team total 36 runs and fell to a batting disaster. The visiting Zimbabwe team lost three wickets for 36 runs.
Having lost the 2nd wicket for 36 runs, the team lost five wickets quite dramatically to become a team of seven wickets for 41 runs. At one time it seemed that Zimbabwe would not be able to cross the team's 70 runs. But the team collected 124 runs due to the outstanding batting performance of Wallington Masakadza and Clive Madande. As a result, the Zimbabwean bowlers got a score to fight in the match.
Debutants Tanzid Tamim and Liton Das opened for Bangladesh in response to 125 runs given by Zimbabwe. However, the off-form Liton failed with the bat in this match as well. This opener returned to the pavilion after being bowled by Muzarabani for one run from three balls. Later, Tanzid Tamim started to play good cricket with Captain Nazmul Hasan Shanto. Shanto broke the 52-run partnership when he got out with 21 runs off 24 balls.
Young batsman Tawhid Hridoy came to the field after the departure of Bangladesh captain. Debutant Tanzid Tamim and Towhid Hridoy's outstanding batting performance saw the hosts Bangladesh win by eight wickets with 28 balls in hand. Tanzid Tamim scored a record half-century as second Bangladeshi T20 debutant. The win leads the series 1-0. Can Bangladesh win the series against Zimbabwe 5-0?
Bangladesh Cricket : The Tigers