Bangladesh came out firing in the one-off Test, crushing Zimbabwe by 220 runs and putting an end to the hosts’ tenacious fight on the fifth and final day of the match at the Harare Sports Club today.
The Zimbabwe batsmen put up a valiant attempt to hold off Bangladeshi spinners until two sessions on day five, when they were bowled out for 256 while chasing a record 477-run mark.
Bangladesh’s triumph was their second largest by runs and only their 15th Test victory in 124 matches.
Taskin Ahmed, a fast bowler who has a career-best 4-82, was instrumental in breaking Zimbabwe’s tough resistance.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who scalped 5-82 in the first innings, returned figures of 4-66 to provide Taskin with a superb foil. The remaining two wickets were taken by Shakib Al Hasan and Ebadot Hossain.
As Zimbabwe resumed the day on 140-3, luck seemed to be on their side as Bangladesh fielders repeatedly shelled the catch of overnight batters Donald Tiripano and Dion Myers.
However, this was merely a minor hiccup in an otherwise flawless Tigers Test. After the first drinks break of the day, Mehidy Miraz made the breakthrough when Dion Myers was dismissed for 26 after chipping one straight to short mid-wicket.
And three balls later, Miraz struck again, trapping Timycen Maruma leg-before-wicket for a score of 0 on the wicket.
Taskin then joined the fray, removing Roy Kaia for nothing and Regis Chakabva for one in his next two overs, exposing Zimbabwe’s weak bottom order.
As Bangladesh appeared to be on their way to winning the match, Donald Tiripano surprised everyone by giving them a hard time and delaying the inevitable. Tiripano and Victor Nyauchi first combined 34 runs, before Taskin squared up the latter with a 10-run short ball.
Ebadot, who had been mainly disappointing among Bangladeshi bowlers, claimed Tiripano’s prized scalp when he edged one to behind the wicket, ending his 52-run effort in 144 balls. However, Tiripano’s dismissal was called into question after a playback revealed the ball had brushed his thigh pad rather than his bat.
Blessing Mehidy Miraz puts an end to Zimbabwe’s innings in a lengthy tea period, rattling the stumps of No. 11 batsman Richard Ngarava for ten runs.
Zimbabwe, on the other hand, had a chance when stand-in skipper Brendan Taylor smashed 92 off 73 balls, including 16 fours, on day four.
Taylor’s departure offered a sigh of comfort to the Bangladeshi camp, as they realized that to win the game, Zimbabwe’s inexperienced batting line-up would have to pull off a miracle, especially since they were attempting to break the world record.
West Indies’ 418 versus Australia remains the most successful fourth-inning chase. Zimbabwe’s highest fourth-inning total was 331, which they achieved in a losing cause against New Zealand in 2011.
Shadman Islam and Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who batted with flair and guts earlier in the day four, helped Bangladesh set this massive mark for Zimbabwe.
Shadman’s first century was followed by Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s second century of his Test career, giving Zimbabwe a record chase to win.
As Bangladesh declared their second innings on 284-1, Shadman stayed undefeated on 115 off 196 balls, striking nine fours, while Shanto remained unbeaten on 118 ball-117 balls, studded with five fours and six sixes.
Only two teams in Test history have amassed a larger second-innings lead than Bangladesh (476), despite losing one or no wickets in the second innings.
After reaching 43 runs, opener Saif Hassan was the only wicket to be dropped. He and Shadman put on an 88-run opening stand before Shadman and Shanto put on a 196-run second-wicket stand that was unbeaten.
Bangladesh scored 468 in their first innings, owing to Mahmudullah Riyad’s career-best 150 not out, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (5-82) and Shakib Al Hasan (4-82) split nine wickets between them to dismiss Zimbabwe for 276.
