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Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by three runs in a close Group 2 Super 12 match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 at The Gabba in Brisbane on Sunday, October 30. Batting first after winning the toss, Bangladesh posted 150/7 courtesy of opener Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 55-ball 71. Sean Williams led Zimbabwe’s response with a defiant 64 off 42 balls. However, his effort went in vain as Zimbabwe finished on 147/8.
Defending 150, Bangladesh had Zimbabwe on the ropes at 69/5 in the 12th over. However, a sixth-wicket stand of 63 between Williams and Ryan Burl (27*) gave the chasing side hope. A brilliant fielding effort by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan led to the run-out of Williams in the penultimate over.
An eventful and bizarre last over followed with Zimbabwe needing 16 needed. Brad Evans (two) holed out to deep midwicket off Mosaddek Hossain on the second delivery. However, there was more drama in store as four leg byes were followed by a six from Richard Ngarava who swung the fourth ball over the ropes at deep fine leg.
With five needed off two balls, Ngarava (six) was stumped. The next ball was an action replay as Blessing Muzarabani was also stumped. The Bangladesh players celebrated their “win”, but there was a twist as the delivery was declared a no-ball since keeper Nurul Hasan had gathered the ball in front of the stumps. No damage was done, though, as far as Bangladesh were concerned since Muzarabani failed to connect with the free hit.
Earlier, chasing 151, Zimbabwe stumbled in the powerplay, losing four wickets for 35 runs. Wesley Madhevere (four) fell in the first over, top-edging a wide delivery from Taskin Ahmed to deep third man. In Taskin’s next over, Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine (eight) slashed hard at another wide delivery and nicked it to the keeper.
Mustafizur Rahman then dealt Zimbabwe with a double blow in the last over of the powerplay. He had Milton Shumba (eight) caught at mid-off by a diving Shakib as the batter chipped a drive uppishly. Rahman also got the massive scalp of Sikandar Raza (0), who completely miscued his pull and was caught at square leg.
Williams and Regis Chakabva attempted a fightback for Zimbabwe. The duo added 34 for the fifth wicket before Chakabva was dismissed for 15. He poked at a wide delivery outside off stump from Taskin and only managed an edge to the keeper. Taskin’s over, the 12th of the innings, was also a wicket maiden.
Williams and Burl, however, kept the fight alive for Zimbabwe. The latter was dropped by Hasan Mahmud on the ropes when he was on four. To make matters worse, the ball landed behind the boundary for a maximum. Earlier, in the same over, bowled by Hossain, Burl managed a boundary off an outside edge.
Williams reached a 37-ball 50 and then clubbed Mahmud for consecutive fours in the 18th over to bring the equation down to 26 off 12 balls. After carving a four off Shakib in the penultimate over, though, Williams was run-out courtesy of a brilliant fielding effort from the bowler.
The set batter looked to scamper for a single by pushing a delivery on the off side. However, Shakib got to the ball quickly and hit bullseye at the non-striker’s end to catch Williams well short of his crease. It proved to be the turning point in the game.
Zimbabwe restrict Bangladesh to 150/7 despite shoddy fielding effort
Bangladesh opener Shanto smashed an impressive 71 off 55 balls. However, Zimbabwe’s bowlers did well to restrict the opposition to 150/7 despite an underwhelming fielding performance. Batting first after winning the toss, Bangladesh lost Soumya Sarkar for a duck. He tentatively pushed at an away-going delivery outside off and was caught behind off Muzarabani.
Litton Das (14) was also dismissed in the last over of the powerplay. He made a complete mess of an attempted scoop off Muzarabani’s bowling. In the end, all he managed was a leading edge that was easily held at short third man. Shanto and skipper Shakib batted cautiously to take Bangladesh to 63/2 at the halfway stage.
Shanto opened up after the drinks break and hit a couple of timely boundaries. However, Bangladesh suffered a setback as Shakib perished for 23, top-edging a flighted delivery from Williams, with Muzarabani taking an excellent catch at square leg. Shanto brought up his 50 off 45 balls with a single off Raza.
The well-set Bangladesh opener took on Evans in the 16th over, hammering him for a six and two fours. Shanto’s fine innings ended when he was caught at extra-cover, looking to go after Raza.
Zimbabwe, who produced a number of misfields on the day, also gave life to Afif Hossain in the penultimate over. He was dropped by Evans at deep midwicket off Raza’s bowling. The batter made Zimbabwe pay by swinging a six in the same over
Zimbabwe, however, finished on a high. Ngarava dismissed Mosaddek (seven) and Afif Hossain (29) in the last over, while Williams made up for a dropped catch by running out Nurul Hasan (one) with a good throw. In the end, though, Zimbabwe were left to rue their lapses in the field, which cost them a few extra runs.
