Bangladesh clinch T20I series against Zimbabwe

Bangladesh secured a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the third and final T20 International to clinch the three-match

Bangladesh secured a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the third and final T20 International to clinch the three-match series 2-1 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.

The win provided a strong finish to Bangladesh’s tour after earlier setbacks in the longer formats. The visitors had suffered an innings defeat in the one-off Test and later lost the three-match One-Day International series 2-1. The T20I triumph allowed Bangladesh to end the tour on a positive note.

After winning the toss, Zimbabwe elected to bat first and posted 143 for seven in their allotted 20 overs. Dion Myers anchored the innings with an impressive 73 runs, while Brian Bennett contributed 47. The rest of the batting line-up struggled to build partnerships, with no other batter reaching double figures.

Bangladesh’s bowlers kept the scoring under control despite the solid partnership between Myers and Bennett. Regular wickets prevented Zimbabwe from accelerating during the closing overs, leaving the hosts with what proved to be a below-par total.

In reply, Bangladesh chased down the target with two balls remaining despite losing six wickets. Opener Tanzid Hasan led the run chase with a composed unbeaten 66 off 58 deliveries. His innings included four sixes and one boundary and ensured Bangladesh remained in control during the chase.

Tanzid received useful support from Parvez Hossain Emon and captain Towhid Hridoy, who both scored 24 runs. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza claimed both wickets with his off-spin to keep his side in the contest, but Bangladesh’s lower order held its nerve to complete the chase.

Tanzid Hasan was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series for his outstanding performances throughout the series. He said his approach was to stay calm, watch the ball closely, and play according to the situation rather than forcing big shots.

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza admitted his side fell slightly short with the bat. He said the team probably needed around 10 more runs to defend the total successfully and added that improvements were also needed in the field.

The result handed Bangladesh a 2-1 series victory and offered the visitors a welcome boost after disappointing performances in the Test and ODI legs of the tour.