Tigers’ seven-wicket victory in the second T20I levels the series

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com

In the second Twenty20 international of the three-match series on Sunday at the Harare Sports Club Ground, off-spinner Mosaddek Hossain’s brilliant opening stint drove Bangladesh to a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Zimbabwe.

The part-time bowler claimed his first five-wicket haul in T20I play in the seventh over, reducing the hosts to 31-5 before Liton Das helped them reach a 136-run total with a fifty.

After Elias Sunny, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shakib Al Hasan, Mosaddek became just the fourth bowler from Bangladesh to record a five-for in T20Is.

He is also only the second spinner, after Pakistan’s Imad Wasim, to take five wickets after opening the bowling.

After Mosaddek’s exploits, Sikandar Raza struck another quickfire 62, but it also needed him to show restrain seeing his side under so much trouble.

Still, 135 would never be enough, as the visitors won with two and a half overs to spare.

Opening the bowling for the first time in T20Is, Mosaddek took a wicket with the first ball. Regis Chakabva edged the wide, innocuous delivery, only to be caught behind for a duck.

Then Wessly Madhevere, who had struck a fifty the previous afternoon, slammed one straight to cover the point where Mahedi Hasan took an easy catch off the last ball of the over.

With Zimbabwe’s score just six, Mosaddek had captain Craig Ervine, attempting a reverse sweep, caught at slip.

Sean Williams was next to go, chipping one back at Mosaddek in the fifth over, with the bowler having to jump to complete the return catch.

Mosaddek completed his five-for when Milton Shumba dragged one towards deep midwicket, only to see Hasan Mahmud run hard to complete a diving catch.

Meanwhile, 31 turned out to be the lowest score on which Zimbabwe lost their first five wickets in a T20I.

Raza and Burl stopped the rot with an 80-run sixth-wicket stand. Raza pounced on his own form to get his side out of trouble, hitting fours through cover and deep third, and also sixes over the leg-side boundary.

He struck 62 off 53 balls before succumbing to Mustafiz.

Burl was out earlier when Hasan bowled him for 32. He struck three fours through the offside.

Towards the end, Luke Jongwe struck a late six in his unbeaten 11, as Zimbabwe scampered in the last few overs to capitalise on the momentum provided by Raza.

Liton got Bangladesh’s chase off on a quick note when he struck Tanaka Chivanga for two sixes and a four in the third over.

But he lost his opening partner Munim Shahriar cheaply for the second game in a row when Richard Ngarava bowled him through the gate.

Liton then added 41 for the second wicket with Anamul Haque, who made 16 with two fours.

Anamul once again flattered to deceive, getting out as soon as he looked set. And shortly after reaching his fifty, Liton fell for 56, having struck six fours and two sixes in his 33-ball knock.

Afif Hossain was unbeaten on 30 off 28 balls with a four and a six, while Najmul Hossain Shanto made 19 off 21 balls with just one boundary.

Their unbroken 55-run fourth-wicket stand ensured no more dramas for the visitors, who had lost Liton and Anamul in the space of three deliveries.

The third and final match of the series will be held at the same venue on Friday.