Zimbabwe humble Bangladesh in 2nd ODI, win series: Key stats
Zimbabwe trounced Bangladesh by five wickets in the second ODI. With that, the hosts clinched an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Batting first, the Bangla Tigers hoarded 290/9, courtesy of the fifties from Tamim Iqbal (50) and Mahmudullah (84*). Chasing 291, the hosts stumbled at the start, but centurions Sikandar Raza (117*) and Regis Chakabva (102) steered them home (291/5). Here's more.
Bangladesh had a solid start, with the openers adding 71 runs among themselves. They lost Anamul soon after but found able partners in Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto, who added a fifty-run stand. Later, Mahmudullah and Afif Hossain took the scoring reins. Raza (3/54) cleaned Bangladesh's lower middle-order. Zimbabwe, despite being 49/4 in 14.6 overs, laid a fightback to get the job done.
Tamim, who scored 62 in the last outing, bashed a cracking 45-ball 50 in the concluded fixture. He hit 10 fours and a six before pulling a shorter delivery straight to Takudzwanashe Kaitano, bringing curtains to his inning. It was his 55th half-century in ODIs and 11th against Zimbabwe. Tamim has surpassed Stephen Fleming's tally (8,037). Versus Zimbabwe, he has 1,928 runs at 43.81.
Rahim (25) threw his wicket after looking set at the crease. He was caught while slog sweeping a tossed-up delivery. He raced to 6,774 ODI runs at 37.01. He pipped Shakib Al Hasan (6,755) to become Bangladesh's second-highest run-getter (ODIs). Mahmdullah smacked an 80-ball 84*, hitting three fours and three sixes. It was his 26th fifty. He now holds 4,729 runs at 35.55.
Despite the defeat, Bangladesh have a 50-30 win-loss record against Zimbabwe in the format. Interestingly, the Tigers boast a 20-2 win-loss record versus their rivals since 2014, with the two losses being recorded in the series underway.
Chakabva had class written all over him in the pivotal duel. The wicket-keeper batter clobbered a hostile-looking 102 off 75 deliveries, studded with 10 fours and two sixes. It was his maiden ODI ton. He has breached the 1,000-run mark (1,057) while averaging 21.57. He also fetched a colossal 201-run stand alongside Raza to put Zimbabwe back in the chase.
Raza has been a man possessed in the limited-over duels played this year. This series has been no different for the all-rounder. In addition to picking three wickets, Raza brought up his fifth ODI ton (*117) to seal the series for the hosts. Notably, it's his fifth fifty-plus score in a span of seven innings in ODIs, including a 135* in the last outing.
