CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh sealed the three-match series against Zimbabwe with a game to spare after cruising to a seven-wicket victory in the second One-day International on Wednesday.

A 148-run partnership between Liton Das and Imruk Kayes in the opening stand proved to be key as Bangladesh raced to victory with 250-3, overhauling Zimbabwe’s 246-7.

Kayes, the centurion of the previous match, made a useful 90, while Liton Das smashed a 77-ball 83, giving the side an early impetus. Mushfiqur Rahim was not out on 40.

Das could have gone for zero on just the third ball of the innings when fast bowler Kyle Jarvis convinced the umpire to give a leg-before verdict, but he stayed in after a review.

Kayes was not as attacking as Das but regularly found the gap to keep the bowlers busy.

Sikandar Raza (3-43) broke through twice, claiming the wicket of Das and Fazle Mahmud (0) in his consecutive two overs. But it mattered little as Kayes found a support in Mushfiqur Rahim to keep the side aloft.

Raza took the wicket of Kayes when he was approaching his second consecutive century before Rahim and Mohammad Mithun (24 not out) sealed the game.

Brendan Taylor was key in Zimbabwe’s batting after Mashrafe Mortaza opted to bowl first, predicting the dew would come into play in the later part of the innings. Taylor struck a 73-ball 75, with nine fours and one six and shared two important partnerships with Cephas Zhuwao (20) and Craig Ervine (47).

Pace bowler Mohammad Saifuddin, with his career best 3-45, stalled Zimbabwe’s progress.

Bangladesh gave away just 19 runs in last five overs, which proved to be decisive.

Scoreboard

ZIMBABWE:

H. Masakadza c Mushfiqur b Saifuddin 14

C. Zhuwao c Fazle b Mehedi 20

B.R.M. Taylor lbw b Mahmudullah 75

S.C. Williams c Mushfiqur b Saifuddin 47

Sikandar Raza c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 49

P.J. Moor c Mehedi b Mustafizur 17

E. Chigumbura c Nazmul b Saifuddin 3

B. Mavuta not out 9

D.T. Tiripano not out 3

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-3, W-1) 9

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 246

FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-70, 3-147, 4-188, 5-229, 6-229, 7-234.

DID NOT BAT: K.M. Jarvis, T.L. Chatara.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 10-0-49-1; Mustafizur Rahman 10-0-35-1; Mohammad Saifuddin 10-1-45-3; Mehedi Hasan 7-0-45-1 (1w); Nazmul Islam 10-0-43-0; Mahmudullah 3-0-21-1.

BANGLADESH:

Liton Das c Tiripano b Sikandar 83

Imrul Kayes c Chigumbura b Sikandar 90

Fazle Mahmud st Taylor b Sikandar 0

Mushfiqur Rahim not out 40

Mohammad Mithun not out 24

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-11, NB-1) 13

TOTAL (for three wkts, 44.1 overs) 250

FALL OF WKTS: 148, 2-152, 3-211.

DID NOT BAT: Mahmudullah, Mehedi Hasan., Mohammad Saifuddin, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Nazmul Islam.

BOWLING: Jarvis 9-0-31-0 (2w); Chatara 7-0-48-0 (1w); Tiripano 5-0-22-0; Mavuta 7-0-56-0 (6w); Williams 6-0-43-0 (1nb); Sikandar Raza 10-1-43-3 (1w); Zhuwao 0.1-0-6-0.

RESULT: Bangladesh won by seven wickets to lead three-match series 2-0.

UMPIRES: Masudur Rahman (Bangladesh) and R.J. Tucker (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: H.D.P.K. Dharmasena (Sri Lanka).

MATCH REFEREE: D.C. Boon (Australia).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Imrul Kayes.

THIRD MATCH: Chittagong (D/N), Friday.

Pulished in Dawn, October 25th , 2018

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