Bangladesh win nail-bitter to extend lead 4-0

Bangladesh won another hard-fought game against Zimbabwe after a lot of drama in the field as they managed to restrict the visitors below the target to extend the series lead by 4-0.

The hosts earned a five-run victory in the fourth game of the five-match T20 series despite being bowled out for a low total at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

In reply to 143, Zimbabwe started falling under pressure from the beginning as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

The real drama came in the last four overs as both teams went ahead of one another in ball to ball.

However, Bangladesh held their nerves towards the end and managed to clinch a five-run victory.

Johnathan Campbell, 31, was the highest run scorer from Zimbabwe while Ryan Burl and Wellington Masakadza added 19 runs each on the board.

From Bangladesh side, Shakib Al Hasan bagged the highest four wickets. Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed picked up three and two wickets respectively with their economical bowling.

Earlier, Bangladesh could not post a big total due to a sudden collapse in the second half of the innings despite a flying start. From 100/0 after 11 overs, the hosts were bowled out for 143 runs in 19.5 overs. That means they lost 10 wickets within the next 43 runs and 8.5 overs.

Being asked to bat, two openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Soumya Sarkar provided Bangladesh with a flying start putting 101 runs on the board together.

However, the collapse began once the stand was broken out as Bangladeshi batters followed the come-and-go policy.

Apart from Tanzid’s 52 and Soumya’s 41, no batters could stand before the Zimbabwean bowlers to carry the innings long, losing all wickets in 143 runs.

Luke Jongwe was the pick of the bowlers from Zimbabwe picking three wickets while Richard Ngarava and Brian Bennett got two wickets apiece.