HARARE: Opener Soumya Sarkar top-scored with 68 after taking two wickets as Bangladesh won a thrilling run chase to defeat Zimbabwe by five wickets and win the Twenty20 International series 2-1 in Harare on Sunday.
Set a challenging target of 194 in the third and final fixture, the tourists reached the target with four balls to spare when Shamim Hossain ran a single.
Inspired by Wesley Madhevere (54 runs) and Regis Chakabva (48), Zimbabwe posted 193-5 as they sought a first success in the two-nation T20 series.
But all-rounder Soumya, who won the player-of-the-match and the player-of-the-series awards, set the tone for a brilliant run chase that gave Bangladesh an all-format sweep in the southern Africa nation.
Not only did Soumya top score, but his right-arm medium fast deliveries yielded 2-19, the most impressive figures among the six Bangladesh bowlers.
The Tigers began the tour with victory in the one-off Test, then won all three One-day Internationals. All the matches were played behind closed doors at the Harare Sports Club because of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Soumya faced 49 balls and struck a six and nine fours before being caught by substitute Tarisai Musakanda at long-off after slicing a delivery from Luke Jongwe.
Solid knocks from skipper Mahmudullah (34) and Shakib al Hasan (25) kept the runs coming and it was left to Shamim to take Bangladesh over the line.
He struck a four off the first ball of the final over to level the score and a single from the next ball triggered wild celebrations by the tourists.
While Madhevere and Chakabva led the way for Zimbabwe, there were valuable contributions from Ryan Burl (31 not out), Tadiwanashe Marumani (27) and Dion Myers (23).
The only batsman to flop was skipper Sikandar Raza, who was out for a duck, his second of the series, and he was run out for four in the other innings.
Madhevere was out when he miscued a reverse sweep and was caught at short third man by Shoriful Islam having struck six fours.
Chakabva hit six sixes before being dismissed by a spectacular catch with Mohammad Naim flicking the ball back at deep midwicket and Shamim stretching to grab it.
Scoreboard
ZIMBABWE:
T. Marumani b Saifuddin 27
W. Madhevere c Shoriful b Shakib 54
R.W. Chakabva c Shamim b Soumya 48
Sikandar Raza b Soumya 0
D.M. Myers c Afif b Shoriful 23
R.P. Burl not out 31
L.M. Jongwe not out 1
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-7, W-1) 9
TOTAL (for five wkts, 20 overs) 193
FALL OF WKTS: 1-63, 2-122, 3-125, 4-146, 5-175.
DID NOT BAT: M. Shumba, W.P. Masakadza, T.L. Chatara, B. Muzarabani.
BOWLING: Taskin Ahmed 2-0-28-0; Mohammad Saifuddin 4-0-50-1; Shoriful Islam 4-0-27-1; Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-24-1; Nasum Ahmed 3-0-37-0; Soumya Sarkar 3-0-19-2 (1w).
BANGLADESH:
Mohammad Naim c Jongwe b Muzarabani 3
Soumya Sarkar c sub b Jongwe 68
Shakib Al Hasan c sub b Jongwe 25
Mahmudullah c Chakabva b Muzarabani 34
Afif Hossain b Masakadza 14
Shamim Hossain not out 31
Nurul Hasan not out 1
EXTRAS (B-5, LB-1, W-10, NB-2) 18
TOTAL (for five wkts, 19.2 overs) 194
FALL OF WKTS: 1-20, 2-70, 3-133, 4-150, 5-187.
DID NOT BAT: Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam.
BOWLING: Sikandar Raza 1-0-13-0; Chatara 4-0-27-0 (1nb, 2w); Muzarabani 4-0-27-2 (1w); Myers 4-0-42-0; Jongwe 3-0-42-2 (2w); Masakadza 3.2-0-37-1 (1nb, 1w).
RESULT: Bangladesh won by five wickets to win three-match series 2-1.
UMPIRES: L. Rusere (Zimbabwe) and I. Chabi (Zimbabwe).
TV UMPIRE: F. Mutizwa (Zimbabwe).
MATCH REFEREE: A.J. Pycroft (Zimbabwe).
PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Soumya Sarkar.
PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: Soumya Sarkar.
FIRST MATCH: Harare, Bangladesh won by eight wickets.
SECOND MATCH: Harare, Zimbabwe won by 33 runs.
Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2021
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