Bangladesh collapse again, hand ODI series to Zimbabwe

Bangladesh lost their last five wickets for just 27 runs to suffer a 13-run defeat in the second ODI of the three-match series against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday.

Having also lost the first ODI by 25 runs, Bangladesh also conceded the series with the defeat as the hosts took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing 248, Bangladesh went from 207-5 in 41.5 overs to 234 all-out in 48.1 overs, losing their last five wickets inside 38 balls.

Tawhid Hridoy made 60 off 90 balls and opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim scored 57 off 70 but neither could stay till the end.

After Nurul Hasan Sohan (38 off 41 balls) departed as the fifth batter, it was up to skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz to get Bangladesh over the line.

But the skipper couldn’t shield the tail-enders well enough as Zimbabwe kept chipping away.

Finally, with 14 runs required off the last two overs, Miraz attempted to hit pacer Richard Ngarava over the deep square leg boundary only to get caught. He was out for 27 off 33 balls as the Zimbabweans began celebrating a memorable series win.

For the hosts, pacer Richard Ngarava led the charge with three scalps while Blessing Murazarabani and Brad Evans took two wickets each.

Earlier, Zimbabwe opener Ben Curran hit an unbeaten 111 off 135 balls while Evans hit a 38-ball 58 – his maiden fifty in ODIs – as the hosts posted 247-6 in their 50 overs.

This is Bangladesh’s third straight defeat in the tour, as before the losses in ODIs, they had lost the one-off Test by an innings and 85 runs.