Mahmudullah hit six boundaries during his career-best knock of 82
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah scored a career-best 82 and wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim made 77 to help their side beat Zimbabwe by 21 runs in the fourth ODI in Mirpur.
However, Zimbabwe all-rounder Solomon Mire and batsman Brendan Taylor both deserve a lot of credit as the former scored 52 and took three wickets, while the latter made 63.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza would have been pondering over his decision to bat first after opening batsman Anamul Haque was given out lbw off the bowling of Neville Madziva for five runs.
Tamim Iqbal scored 16 runs before he was caught by Hamilton Masakadza at deep point off the bowling of Mire.
Imrul Kayes only made five runs before he was brilliantly caught by Taylor at short midwicket off the bowling of Madziva.
Shakib Al Hasan failed to have an impact with the bat as he was caught by Timycen Maruma at short cover off the bowling of Mire for one run.
Rahim and Mahmudullah stabilised the innings with a 134-run partnership, during which both batsmen brought up their half-centuries, before Rahim was caught by Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura at cover off the bowling of Tafadzwa Kamugozi.
Rahim’s excellent knock of 77 came off 78 balls and included seven boundaries.
Rahim’s good form with the bat continued
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Sabbir Rahman mustered four runs before he was caught by Regis Chakabva at deep fine leg off the bowling of Kamungozi.
Abul Hasan fared no better as he was caught by Chigumbura at mid-on off the bowling of Mire for one run.
Mahmudullah and Mortaza steadied the innings with a 65-run partnership before Mortaza was caught behind off the bowling of Madziva for 39.
Thanks to Mahmudullah’s career-best knock of 82, which came off 112 balls and included six boundaries, Bangladesh finished on 256/8 off their 50 overs.
Madziva and Mire picked up three wickets apiece, while Kamungozi chipped in with two.
Chasing 257 to win, Zimbabwe got off to a solid start before Vusi Sibanda was given out lbw off the bowling of Al Hasan for 17.
Masakadza managed to make 28 runs before he was clean bowled by Al Hasan.
Maruma only made six runs before he was cleaned up by debutant Jubair Hossain.
Taylor and Mire steered Zimbabwe back in the right direction with a 106-run partnership, during which both batsmen registered their half-centuries, before Mire was caught by Mahmudullah at cover off the bowling of Hossain.
Mire’s career-best innings of 52 came off 54 balls and included six boundaries and two sixes.
Mire excelled with both the bat and ball
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Taylor ended up scoring 63 off 69 deliveries, which included seven boundaries, before he was caught behind off the bowling of Rubel Hossain.
Taylor made a gutsy 63
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Chigumbura failed to save his team as he was caught by Abul Hasan at mid-off off the bowling of Mortaza for four runs.
Chakabva mustered 26 runs before he was caught by Jubair Hossain at point off the bowling of Rubel Hossain.
Wicketkeeper Peter Moor accumulated 13 runs before he was run out by Rahman.
Due to the late flurry of wickets, Zimbabwe ended up making 235/8 off their 50 overs, which gave Bangladesh a 21-run win.
Al Hasan, Jubair Hossain and Rubel Hossain took two wicket apiece, while Mortaza claimed one.
Chigumbura was gutted to have lost again, and said: “It’s always disappointing to lose a game. Taylor and Mire played fantastic, but both went out at the wrong time, just before the powerplay. We had some other positives. The way we bowled at the start, but after four wickets we didn’t manage to put more pressure on Mushfiq and Mahmudullah and that’s the partnership that took the game away from us. It was a good score to chase down, especially the way we batted in the middle period, but we lost those two and it’s always hard for the guys coming in at six and seven.”
Mortaza was pleased to have taken a 4-0 lead in the series, and said: “There is no dew, that’s why we chose to bat. The way Mahmudullah and Mushfiq batted was brilliant, we came back into the game and the bowlers bowled very well after that. That’s my job, to get some runs for the team, and I think I did well today. Jubair is our main bowler, it was his first match and we had to back him. He did well.”
Mahmudullah was named Man of the Match, and said: “The wicket wasn’t that good, but Mushy and I did well. He came in and attacked and I was playing the anchor role. We can play the situations now, and that’s the important thing, and we are gaining some experience as well.”