Shakib restricts Zimbabwe to 240

Shakib Al Hasan bowled superbly to bowl out Zimbabwe on the first day of the first Test at Mirpur on Saturday.

On his return from a ban, Shakib ended with figures of 6 for 59 to restrict the tourists to a moderate 240 in their first innings at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Debutant Jubair Hossain also bagged two wickets to make his mark.

In reply, Bangladesh were 27 at stumps with loss of opener Tamim Iqbal.

Other opener Shamsur Rahman (8) and Mominul Haque (14) remained unbeaten for the hosts.

After Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat in the morning, opener Vusi Sibanda started off the innings with boundary over the cover area in the very first ball.

However, Shahadat Hossain, playing Test cricket after 19 months, sent Sibanda (6) back in his fifth delivery caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim.

Masakadza (13) joined Sibanda in the pavilion in the first hour skying Shakib Al Hasan for a catch to Jubair Hossain at mid-off.

Two down on 31, Zimbabwe recovered with Sikandar Raza and Brendan Taylor putting on 52 runs for the third wicket.

After the lunch break debutant Jubair Hossain sent back Zimbabwe captain Taylor (28) caught by Taijul Islam at mid-off.

Soon Jubair dismissed Raza (51) to a catch by Mahmudullah at short cover.

But Raza had added another 45 with Elton Chigumbura for the fourth wicket.

Moments later, Chigumbura (29) followed Raza, out to a brilliant catch by Mominul Haque at silly point off Shakib.

Craig Ervine and Regis Chakabva paired up for a 50-run sixth wicket recovery stand.

But Ervine (34) departed after tea for a catch to Mominul at short leg off Taijul Islam.

From there on it was all Shakib for Bangladesh.

Chakabva (25), who was dropped earlier by Shakib on 10, was dismissed by the allrounder to a catch at slip, reducing Zimbabwe to 200 for seven.

After trapping John Nyumbu leg-before, Shakib sent back Panyangara in the very next over for his career’s 12th five-wicket haul.

His sixth victim was Zimbabwe’s last batsman Tafadzwa Kamungozi.

Leg-spinner Jubair Hossain made his debut for Bangladesh, the 74th Test cricketer to play for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (cpt & wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Shuvagata Hom, Taijul Islam, Jubair Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain

Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza, Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor (cpt), Craig Ervine, Elton Chigumbura, Regis Chakabva (wk), Tendai Chatara, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, John Nyumbu, Tinashe Panyangara