HARARE – Mosaddek Hossain’s stunning opening spell handed Bangladesh a comfortable win by seven wickets against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club. The part-time offspinner took his maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is to reduce the home side to 31 for 5 in the seventh over, before Litton Das eased them into the 136-run chase with a fifty.
Mosaddek became only the fourth Bangladesh bowler to take a five-for in T20Is, following Elias Sunny, Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan. He is also the second spinner to take five wickets after opening the bowling, with Pakistan’s Imad Wasim being the other.
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 point where Mahedi Hasan took an easy catch off the last ball of the over.
With Zimbabwe’s score just 6, 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. In the process, he became the first Bangladesh bowler to take the first five wickets to fall in an innings.
Meanwhile, 31 turned out to be the lowest score on which Zimbabwe lost their first five wickets in a T20I.
Raza and Ryan Burl stopped the slide 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 Mustafizur Rahman.
Burl was out earlier, when Hasan Mahmud bowled him for 32. He struck three fours through the off side, ensuring much of his innings was to support Raza. 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.
Source: ESPNCricinfo
