Bangladesh’s nightmare in Zimbabwe continues to get worse as the tourists suffered a 32-run defeat in the first T20I of a three-match series in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
Pacer Nahid Rana put up a career-best bowling performance in T20Is, claiming 4-26 in his four overs, but the rest of the bowlers leaked runs as the hosts put up a challenging total of 170-6 after being sent to bat first.
It was a collective batting performance from the hosts, with opener Brain Bennet top scoring with 44 off 30 balls and the pair of Ryan Burl (30 not out off 25) and Brad Evans (19 not out off 10) adding 31 off 15 balls for the seventh wicket.
The top order, once again, failed to deliver for the tourists. Yasir Ali, who returned to the T20I side after nearly three years, and Mahedi Hasan kept Bangladesh in with a chance with a 52-run stand off 37 balls for the sixth wicket.
Blessing Muzarabani, who finished with 4-17, broke the stand in the 17th over by getting Mahedi caught for 19 off 18.
Yasir, after making 54 off 38 balls – his maiden T20I half-century – followed him to the dressing room the next over, getting caught off Richard Ngarava, who finished 4-26.
The tail offered no resistance as Bangladesh lost their last five wickets inside 15 balls for just eight runs.
Prior to this, Bangladesh had lost the three-match ODI series 2-1 and had suffered an innings defeat in the one-off Test.
Bangladesh must beat Zimbabwe in the second T20I, set to take place at the same venue on Friday, if they want to avoid yet another series defeat.