DHAKA: Zimbabwe salvaged some pride by securing a three-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second and final Twenty20 International with Neville Madziva playing a major role on Sunday.

Madziva was instrumental in avoiding the embarrassing tour sweep as he hammered the required 18 runs in the last over to level the two-match T20 series before taking two wickets.

Bangladesh were restricted to a moderate 135-9 but fought back well to keep the game tight until the Madziva blitz helped the touring side get over the line with a ball to spare. He clattered three fours and two sixes in his 19-ball 28 not out.

Malcolm Waller, fresh from his 31-ball 68, gave the side a platform with 40. Luke Jongwe was the other notable scorer with 34.

For Bangladesh, Anamul Haque took 51 balls to score 47.

On a pitch that Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza described as favourable for batting, the hosts struggled for runs from the outset as most of the batsmen perished to rash shots

Pacer Tinashe Panyangara claimed 3-30 and he was aided by Graeme Cremer’s 2-21 and Madziva’s 2-25.

Waller helped the side bounce back after Zimbabwe were reeling at 39-5. He put on 56 with Luke Jongwe. Fast bowler Al-Amin Hossain (3-20) then took Jongwe out to jolt Zimbabwe further.

Waller, however, kept the side on the right track but was out to the first ball of the last over off Nasir Hossain after smashing three sixes and two fours in his 27-ball knock.

His dismissal gave Bangladesh the impetus with 18 runs needed off the last five balls but Madziva held his nerve to score a six, two, four and six to win the match.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH:

Tamim Iqbal c Chigumbura b Madziva 21 Imrul Kayes c Williams b Chisoro 10 Anamul Haque run out 47 Mushfiqur Rahim c Williams b Cremer 9 Sabbir Rahman lbw b Cremer 17 Nasir Hossain b Panyangara 3 Mahmudullah c Jongwe b Panyangara 8 Mashrafe Mortaza b Madziva 0 Arafat Sunny c Jongwe b Panyangara 5 Mustafizur Rahman not out 1 Al-Amin Hossain not out 1

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-2, W-3, NB-4) 13

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 20 overs) 135

FALL OF WKTS: 1-34, 2-35, 3-59, 4-98, 5-113, 6-121, 7-122, 8-130, 9-134.

BOWLING: Panyangara 4-0-30-3 (1nb, 2w); Madziva 4-0-25-2 (1nb); Chisoro 4-0-27-1 (1nb); Williams 4-0-26-0 (1nb); Cremer 4-0-21-2 (1w).

ZIMBABWE:

Sikandar Raza c Mushfiqur b Al-Amin 5 R.W. Chakabva c Sabbir b Mustafizur 4 S.C. Williams b Al-Amin 0 C.R. Ervine run out 15 L.M. Jongwe c Imrul b Al-Amin 34 E. Chigumbura c Mahmudullah b Sunny 0 M.N. Waller c Sabbir b Nasir 40 N. Madziva not out 28 A.G. Cremer not out 0

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-2, W-2, NB-2) 10

TOTAL (seven wkts, 19.5 overs) 136

Fall of wkts: 1-7, 2-7, 3-15, 4-33, 5-39, 6-94, 7-118.

DID NOT BAT: T.S. Chisoro, T. Panyangara.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 4-0-27-0 (1nb); Al-Amin Hossain 4-0-20-3; Mustafizur Rahman 4-0-12-1 (1nb, 2w); Arafat Sunny 4-0-26-1; Nasir Hossain 3.5-0-45-1.

RESULT: Zimbabwe won by three wickets to level two-match 1-1.

UMPIRES: Sharfuddoula Saikat and Anisur Rahman (both Bangladesh)

TV UMPIRE: Enamul Haque (Bangladesh).

MATCH REFEREE: J. Srinath (India).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Neville Madziva.

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Malcolm Waller.

FIRST MATCH: Dhaka, Bangladesh won by four wickets.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2015

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