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Bangladesh showcased their dominance over Zimbabwe, clinching an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the series opener in a thrilling start to the five-match T20 International series at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
Debutant opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim stole the show with a scintillating 67 runs off just 47 balls, propelling Bangladesh to chase down Zimbabwe’s target of 124 runs with ease.
Tanzid’s explosive knock, marked by eight boundaries and two sixes, overshadowed Zimbabwe’s efforts, despite surviving three close calls early in his innings.
Supported by Towhid Hridoy’s quickfire 33 and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 21, Bangladesh comfortably reached the target in just 15.2 overs, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Earlier in the match, Bangladesh’s bowlers set the tone by restricting Zimbabwe to a modest total of 124 runs. Fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mohammad Saifuddin wreaked havoc, claiming three wickets each, while offspinner Mahedi Hasan played a crucial role with two wickets for 16 runs.
Zimbabwe’s innings got off to a promising start with debutant Joylord Gumbie’s aggressive strokes, but soon faltered as Bangladesh’s bowlers struck at regular intervals.
Despite Clive Mandane’s resilient 43 and Wellington Masakadza’s gritty 34, Zimbabwe struggled to build partnerships, ultimately succumbing to Bangladesh’s bowling prowess.
With this commanding victory, Bangladesh takes an early lead in the series, setting the stage for an enthralling contest in the upcoming matches.
