Opener Tanzid Hasan struck an unbeaten 66 for Bangladesh in a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe on Sunday that clinched the three-match Twenty20 series 2-1 in Bulawayo.
Success at Queens Sports Club was a welcome relief for the visitors after suffering an innings defeat in a one-off Test, then a 2-1 loss in a one-day international series on an all-formats tour.
Zimbabwe won the toss and posted 143-7 thanks to Dion Myers (73) and Brian Bennett (47), with no other batter reaching double figures.
Bangladesh then reached 144-6 with two balls to spare. Tanzid Hasan received valuable support from Parvez Hossain Emon and captain Towhid Hridoy.
Emon and Hridoy contributed 24 runs each before becoming victims of off-spinner Sikandar Raza, the 40-year-old Zimbabwe captain and all-rounder.
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After winning the player of the match and series awards, Tanzid Hasan said: “My approach was not to play too hard. Rather, watch the ball and play on merit.”
Raza said: “I feared our total was about 10 runs short of what we needed to win the match and the series. I also believe we could have fielded a little better.”
Batting at No. 3, Myers struck two sixes and seven fours before flicking a ball to mid-wicket and calling for a second run.
The decision backfired when Rishad Hossain swiftly threw the ball to wicket-keeper Emon and Myers was run out.
After the early loss of opener Saif Hassan (4) in Bangladesh’s response, left-hand batter Hasan took control to claim his 13th T20 half-century. His unbeaten 58-ball knock included four sixes and a single four.
