Bangladesh suffer fresh humiliation, lose 1st Zim ODI by 25 runs

Bangladesh’s batting line-up capitulated in Harare once again, this time getting bundled out for a mere 116 to lose the first ODI against Zimbabwe by 25 runs on Monday.

Chasing 142, only three Bangladesh batters managed to get into double-figures, with Nurul Hasan Sohan top scoring with 31 off 44 balls.

The Bangladesh batters could not cope against Zimbabwe’s pace quartet of Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans and Newman Nyahuri, as they collectively snapped up 10 wickets to bundle out the visitors inside 33.1 overs.

Earlier, pacer Nahid Rana claimed the best-ever figures for a Bangladeshi bowler in ODIs, 6-21, to dismiss the hosts to a below-par total, which in the end, proved to be sufficient.

In the chase, Bangladesh were three-down for 17 inside five overs. Sohan and Tawhid Hridoy (35 off 58 balls) then put up a 49-run stand for the fourth wicket off 88 deliveries.

Left-arm pacer Nyamhuri broke the stand by getting Tawhid caught at deep third, Mosaddek Hossain (three off seven) and skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz (10 off 18) then departed cheaply before Sohal got trapped LBW by Evans as Bangladesh were reduced to 98-7.

The tail-enders reduced the margin of defeat but in the end, the hosts won the match comfortably to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Prior to the ODI series, Bangladesh had suffered their first innings defeat to Zimbabwe in Tests in 25 years, with the same pace quartet running through their batting line-up.

The second ODI will take place on Thursday.