Hosts beat Zimbabwe by 162 runs to win series

Shakib Al Hasan’s heroics have led Bangladesh to a 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe with a match to go in the three-match Test series.

The hosts won by 162 runs with Shakib’s second five-wicket haul in the match on the last day of the second Test at Khulna on Friday.

The Tigers’ victory in a home Test series comes almost after a 10-year gap. The win also seals their progress in the ICC Test rankings.

The all-rounder registered his first 10-wicket haul in a Test, returning with figures of 5 for 44 in the second innings. He had picked up 5 for 80 in the first innings.

He also signed up beside Ian Botham and Imran Khan for his century and 10 wickets in a Test match.

Taijul Islam trapped Tendai Chatara leg-before to bring the hosts a much-awaited series win, first after 2009, at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.

Bangladesh had just 68 overs to bowl Zimbabwe out. But spinners ran through the batsmen and then tourists folded up within 51.5 overs for 151.

The Tigers set a winning target of 314 runs on Friday.

The Africans lost their openers Brian Chari (4) and Sikanadar Raza (9) before lunch.

Taijul drew the first blood for Bangladesh dismissing Chari for a return catch, while Raza soon followed when Mominul Haque took a catch off Shakib.

Shakib struck again, sending back captain Brendan Taylor without scoring, to leave the visitors tattering at 15 for three.

Centurions in the last innings, Hamilton Masakadza and Regis Chakava, put up resistance to frustrate the hosts.

They added 70 runs for the fourth wicket before Jubair Hossain came to the Tigers’ rescue by dismissing Chakabva (27).

Masakdza continued his fine form, scoring a fifty to hold things together for Zimbabwe. Craig Ervine looked to be in ominous mood, striking Taijul and Jubair for sixes.

The batsman struck Jubair for another boundary in that over. But the aggression led to his fall when he fell short of the crease as Mushfiqur Rahim whipped the bails off right before tea.

After the break Zimbabwe succumbed to a batting collapse in an attempt to raise their run rate.

Shakib toyed with the Zimbabwe lower order, sending back Masakadza (61), Elton Chigumbura (12) and Natsai M’shangwe in quick succession. The latter was Shakib’s 10th scalp of the match.

Malcolm Waller (4) soon followed his partner when Taijul’s delivery dipped on to the track to stay low and bounce twice to go through the batsman’s defence.

Nine down at 142, Tinashe Panyangara (8 not out) kept pressing on but it all ended when Taijul wrapped things up with his third wicket to send the Khulna crowd into raptures.

With an overnight score of 201 for five, Bangladesh batsmen could not score freely as Zimbabwe restricted them tactically.

Pacers bowled in a line way outside the off-stump, while the spinners maintained a nagging leg-stump line with six fielders on the leg.

The hosts declared the innings after Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury (50) was dismissed after he reached his maiden Test half-century. He smashed four boundaries in his 103-ball innings.

Mahmudullah (71) could only add eight runs to his overnight score before holing out to Masakadza at long-off.

Leg spinner Natsai M’shangwe took out all four Bangladesh batsmen on the last day -Mahmudullah, Taijul, Shuvagata Hom, Shahdat Hossain.

Waller and M’shangwe each bagged four wickets for Zimbabwe.