Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim never had any doubt about the win despite a counter attack from Hamilton Masakadza and Regis Chakabva on the fifth day of the second Test on Friday. Bangladesh thought they had the win in their bag once they left Zimbabwe struggling at 15-3 but Masakadza took some confidence from his 158 runs in the first innings and started to charge their spinners.
It raised a concern as Bangladesh had many experience of letting the momentum go in the recent past, but leg-spinner Jubair Hossain ensured that they will not suffer the same fate again this time.
Jubair ended Masakadza and Chakabva’s stubborn 70-run fourth wicket partnership and then scalped Craig Ervine, who batted in a way as if Zimbabwe could knock off their 314-run target.
‘Never thought this match will end in a draw to be honest,’ Mushfiq said after their 162-run win. ‘Our target was to get either Masakadza or Chakabva out, as only they had scored in the first innings.
‘So their wickets were important to us. And before that it was Taylor. Likhon’s [Jubair] delivery to Chakabva was a very good one. We understood right away that we need to bowl in the right areas and that will get us wickets.’
‘So our team spirit was boosted with the Chakabva dismissal,’ he said.
Sakib al Hasan ended their resistance of Masakadza, who made 61, fifth over into the final session and Zimbabwe collapsed immediately to lose their last five wickets for 14 runs and eventually were all out for
151 with more than an hour of play left.
Asked if it was Bangladesh’s most commanding ever performance in Tests, Mushfiq, who has now led the Tigers to three Test wins, the maximum by a captain, replied in the affirmative.
‘If you are asking for my personal opinion – yes, I would say it is,’ he said.
‘The wicket was not that helpful for our spinners, so it was literally their hard work.
‘They kept the Zimbabwe batsmen under pressure and forced them to make mistakes.
‘We didn’t think we will be able to win the game. We thought it will be a draw once we were on the back foot,’ he said.
Mushfiq called himself lucky to be able to lead the Tigers in three Test match wins.
‘There were many players who led the Bangladesh team but I have achieved three Test wins under me, so I think I am lucky on that count,’ he said.
‘This, to be honest was a team effort. Win would not have been possible without good batting, bowling and fielding. So, the whole credit goes to the Bangladesh team.’
-With New Age input
