Batsmen blaze thru’ Zimbabwe

Bangladesh's top order came alive once more, this time in the opening  T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday as the  Tigers posted a commanding 200 for three -- their third-highest T20  score -- before bowling out Zimbabwe for 152 to win the first T20I by 48  runs. 

Soumya Sarkar got back in the groove, blazing an unbeaten  62 while the opening pair of Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal continued their  form from the ODIs. The batting effort was backed up by the bowlers,  with Aminul Islam and Mustafizur Rahman finishing up with three wickets  each.

Chasing a big total, Zimbabwe fell in early trouble, losing  the experienced Brendan Taylor in the second over as the batsman tried  to flick a Shafiul Islam delivery only to find the man at midwicket.  Mustafizur Rahman trapped Craig Ervine leg-before and Wesley Madehevere  was run out soon after as Zimbabwe stuttered. Opener Tinashe  Kamunhukamwe had played a few good strokes during his 20-ball 28 and  starred in a 42-run stand with skipper Sean Williams for the fourth  wicket but any hopes of the partnership going onto challenge the target  was decimated when both fell to leggie Aminul in consecutive deliveries.  Afif Hossain, Aminul and Mustafizur all got into the act with one  wicket each after Aminul's double strike as Zimbabwe slumped to 107 for  eight.

A late onslaught came, first from Donald Tiripano and then  Carl Mumba, with the former threatening to cut loose like he did in the  second ODI at Sylhet by reaching 20 off 12 with three sixes before  being bamboozled by Mohammad Saifuddin and dragging a delivery onto his  stumps. Mumba smote Fizz for a four and six in the 19th over before  becoming the left-arm seamer's third victim as Zimbabwe were bowled out  for 152.

Earlier, Soumya launched himself into a magnificent pull  shot over deep mid-wicket in the final delivery of the innings to take  Bangladesh to 200 for 3 against Zimbabwe, to signal a return of the  stability in the batting order following a few series spent in  confusion. Soumya blazed a team-high 62 off 32, laced by four fours and  five sixes after coming in at number three following Tamim Iqbal's  departure.

The openers had given the Tigers the perfect launchpad  to a big total with a 92-run stand -- the highest opening partnership  for the Tigers in T20Is -- with both Tamim and Liton Das going after the  bowling early. Liton continued his decimation of the Zimbabwe bowlers  following his 176 in the third ODI at Sylhet, blazing a 39-ball 59 with  five fours and three sixes yesterday. He started on his merry way,  hitting a six and four in the very first over and then flayed the  bowling all over the park. Just when the innings was gathering more  momentum, both Tamim and Liton departed in quick succession and it  appeared that Bangladesh would struggle to continue in the same vein of  aggression.

Soumya, however bided his time at the crease, hitting  the odd boundary or two after coming on in the 11th over. Following  Mushfiqur Rahim's departure for 17 off 8, Soumya came into his own in  the death overs, which realized 75 runs from five overs. He blazed three  sixes in the final over and three fours and four fours in the last four  overs of the innings to ensure that the Tigers reach a big total.