In the concluding match of their tour of Bangladesh, Zimbabwe saw their first success, winning the fifth T20 at Mirpur by eight wickets and preventing a series whitewash. Sikandar Raza’s team ended the series 4-1, a morale boost ahead of the World Cup. Brian Bennett and captain Raza’s brilliant batting easily chased down the target of 158 runs. Zimbabwe reached victory with 9 balls to spare, losing only 2 wickets, with Raza remaining unbeaten at 72 runs from 46 balls, while opener Bennett scored 70 runs from 49 balls.
On the eve of announcing the T20 World Cup squad, Bangladesh’s Mohammad Saifuddin disappointed in bowling, conceding 55 runs in 4 overs and taking one wicket. Shakib Al Hasan, however, was economical, giving away only 9 runs and taking one wicket in his 4 overs. Despite these efforts, Bangladesh could not contain Zimbabwe’s chase.
After a shaky start, Mahmudullah Riyad’s splendid fifty helped Bangladesh set a target of 158 against Zimbabwe in the fifth T20. Starting at 15 for 3, Mahmudullah steered the team, initially hitting three consecutive boundaries early in his innings and ultimately playing a pivotal role.
Mahmudullah was out on the last ball of the 18th over, contributing a 54-run innings from 44 balls that formed the backbone of Bangladesh’s fight. Bangladesh ended their innings at 157 for 6 wickets. Captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudullah shared a 69-run partnership, which was crucial after top-order failures.
Later, Shakib Al Hasan scored 21 runs off 17 balls, and Zakir Ali’s cameo of 24 runs off 11 balls helped Bangladesh pass the 150 mark. Mohammad Saifuddin remained unbeaten with 6 runs off 4 balls. Blessing Muzarabani and Brian Bennett each took two wickets for Zimbabwe, while Wellington Masakadza and Luke Jongwe managed one each.
The series ended with a sigh of relief for Zimbabwe, overcoming the initial setbacks and showcasing resilience in the final game of the series.
