Bangladesh rode on a brilliant team effort to thrash Zimbabwe by 186 runs in the third Test in Chittagong on Sunday, completing a memorable clean sweep in the three-match Test series. It was not like a single bowler wreaked havoc in the ranks of the opposition or a certain player dominated, the Tigers acted as a group on the fifth and final day to have Zimbabwe cave in without much resistance.
Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Jubair Hossain and Shuvagata Hom all had their say in the win, claiming two wickets each, as Zimbabwe collapsed to 262 all out with a session left.
Zimbabwe came out with a somewhat bizarre game plan of choosing to attack when defense was the best option on a fifth day track, and they paid the price for being overambitious.
The first wicket that fell in the morning was due to a reverse sweep, a dangerous shot which batsman usually play when wickets are good for batting and teams have little to fear.
Despite a blazing start in the morning by the two overnight batsmen, Zimbabwe had still no reason to feel comfortable as they were in for an improbable chase of 449 runs.
Yet, Hamilton Masakadza decided to play the perilous shot off Shuvagata Hom only managing a top edge to give Mushfiqur Rahim the simplest catch of the series.
The immediate reaction of Bangladesh captain, a loud scream, suggested the catch had won him half the game, though it was only Zimbabwe’s second wicket to fall in the second innings.
Mushfiq opted for Shuvagata ahead of his regular spinners as he wanted him to use the rough of the wicket. While Shuvagata did little to use the rough, he could do at least one thing, which is entice Zimbabwe batsmen to hit, something that worked like magic for Bangladesh.
Sikandar Raza (65) was caught at midwicket boundary off Hom’s bowling to bring two new batsmen at the crease. Mushfiq introduced Jubair Hossain as Brendan Taylor stepped in, and it did not take him long to get results.
Taylor fell to Jubair third time in the series, giving a catch to Sakib at point. Jubair also had Elton Chigumbura caught at slip by Imrul Kayes to erase Zimbabwe’s top half before the lunch break.
It could easily have been seven down but Regis Chakabva and Craig Ervine survived on the Decision Review System, despite being given out initially by the on-field umpire.
Bangladesh could not dismiss Chakabva at all but wickets kept tumbling from the other side to expedite the win. Ervine, Richmond Mutumbami and Tinashe Panyangara were all judged leg-before respectively off the bowling of Mahmudullah, Taijul and Rubel.
With Zimbabwe eight down, tea session was extended for 30 minutes and Shafiul thought it was time for him to make his mark. He mopped up the tail to remove Shingi Masakadza and Natsai M’shangwe in an over to complete the win.
Chakabva was left stranded on 89.
This is only seventh Test win for Bangladesh in 88 Tests and fifth against Zimbabwe. They swept an opponent in a series only once in the past when they beat an under-strength West Indies 2-0.
-With New Age input
