Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak and paceman Shafiul Islam grabbed four wickets each to give Bangladesh an easy 65-run win against Zimbabwe in the third one-day international and a 2-1 lead in the five-match series on Monday.
Zimbabwe looked distinctly second best when they were reduced to 47 for six before limping to 181 all out in 48.1 overs, chasing Bangladesh’s challenging 246-7 under a cloudy sky in the first really chilly day of the season.
Man-of-the-match Razzak threw Zimbabwe’s innings into total disarray with his superb first spell bowling in which he claimed three wickets giving away only four runs in as many overs. He later added another wicket to his tally in his second spell to finish with 4-14 for his third consecutive haul of four or more wickets, a feat previously achieved by only five bowlers in the ODI history.
His tally in the series now stands at 13 that included a five-for with a hat-trick in Bangladesh’s six-wicket win on Friday. Razzak, who rediscovered his form in the series, could have easily returned with five wickets in consecutive matches, had he not grassed a simple return catch of Prosper Utseya when he was on 45.
Utseya, leading Zimbabwe in the absence of injured Elton Chigumbura, fought a lone battle making 67 before he was the last man out, caught by Imrul Kayes at square-leg off Shafiul Islam, who finished with his career best figures of 4-43.
Utseya was particular harsh on Sakib al Hasan hitting the Bangladesh skipper for three sixes in his 130-ball marathon innings. Sakib conceded 19 runs in his last over including two sixes to Utseya ending his bowling at 1-57, his worst figure in the last 10 matches.
Sakib, however, did his job with the bat and that too in the hour of need. Bangladesh were wobbling at 71 four when he was joined by Mushfiqur Rahim for a 116-run stand for the fifth wicket. For the first time in the series he lost the toss and was asked to bat immediately in an appalling condition.
Things looked ominous when Tamim Iqbal got yet another dubious lbw decision to suffer a six-ball duck and opener Junaed Siddique became the victim of a stunning catch by Utseya at square-leg off Shingirai Masakadza.
Tamim indicated that he had got an inside edge in a delivery that was going high as well as down the leg. But local umpire Sharfuddoulah could not resist raising his finger in the face of a strong appeal from Christopher Mpofu.
Tamim was also wrongly given lbw in the first match which Bangladesh lost and a sense of deja vu gripped the stadium when Utseya got himself into operation with the ball. He had Imrul Kayes out for 33 before trapping Roqibul for lbw for 12.
Mushfique launched a counter-attack and Sakib provided him ample support as Bangladesh gradually gained an upper hand. Mushfique’s departure for 63 off 73 balls did not cost Bangladesh much as they went for batting Powerplay with Sakib still at the crease.
Sakib, however, could not capitalise on the chance and was out in the second over making 73 from 91 balls. It again raised a fear but Naeem Islam, thankfully for the Tigers, staved it off. His 24-ball 23 and Mashrafee bin Murtaza’s last over onslaught for 11 off four balls took Bangladesh to a total which was always beyond the reach of Zimbabwe.
