Tigers clinch series in Chattogram

Bangladesh overcame late pressure from Zimbabwe tail-enders to secure a nine-run win in the third T20I in Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Tuesday to clinch the five-match T20I series 3-0.

The series will move to Dhaka with the remaining two T20Is slated for May 10 and 12 in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Despite the series victory, there will be quite a bit of concern among the Tigers’ fans regarding how the team is shaping up ahead of the World Cup in USA and the West Indies.

Yesterday, when Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza sent Bangladesh to bat, those problem areas came to the fore again. Batters at the top were just not showing the kind of rhythm required to take T20Is by storm.

Recent form of Liton Das in all formats and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto’s T20I batting has been key behind the Tigers’ woeful batting at the top.

Shanto has been starting well but lacking a bit of application as one of Raza’s sliders sneaked through his defence, getting him bowled for six. Yet, all the discussion would be on the manner of Liton’s dismissal as the right-hander dragged a delivery to his stumps to depart for a 15-ball 12.

Opener Tanzid Tamim was hitting the ball well but given his relative lack of experience in the international circuit, his 22-ball 21 would not be a big point of focus. Once he departed, with the score on 60 for three in the ninth over, Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali Anik did the repair job.

Jaker hit a 34-ball 44 while Hridoy struck a blazing 38-ball 57, carrying on his fine form this series as the duo contributed 87 for the fourth-wicket. Mahmudullah Riyad put the finishing touches for a score of 165.

Zimbabwe top-order fumbled again as Mohammad Saifuddin and Tanzim Sakib struck early blows. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain then saw the back of Raza for just one, out caught-behind. With Zimbabwe pegged back to 91 for eight, the game looked over but some late blows from Faraz Akram, who hit 34 off 19, saw the contest get tight.

Rishad and Saifuddin were hit for runs at the death end but the latter managed to defend 21 in the final over as Zimbabwe were restricted to 156 for nine, enabling Bangladesh to clinch series in Chattogram.