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Published : 17 Jul 2026, 08:21 PM
Bangladesh produced the response they desperately needed in Bulawayo, shrugging off the disappointment of their opening defeat with a convincing 34-run victory over Zimbabwe to level the three-match T20I series.
On Friday, Tanzid Hasan and Saif Hassan laid the platform with a century opening stand, Mohammad Saifuddin unleashed a breathtaking late assault, and the spin duo of Mahedi Hasan and Rishad Hossain strangled Zimbabwe's chase to keep the Tigers firmly alive.
Asked to bat first at Queens Sports Club, Bangladesh made an aggressive start despite surviving several scares.
Zimbabwe's fielders endured a forgettable afternoon, spilling six catches, three of them off Saif, as the visitors seized the initiative.
Saif and Tanzid added 120 for the opening wicket, Bangladesh's highest opening stand in T20Is against Zimbabwe.
Tanzid struck a fluent half-century from 33 deliveries before Saif reached his own fifty off 42 balls, giving Bangladesh complete control.
Yet the innings threatened to unravel just as quickly.
Saif's dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse as Bangladesh lost five wickets for only 21 runs in the space of 14 deliveries.
Zimbabwe suddenly sensed an opportunity to restrict the tourists to a modest total.
Saifuddin, however, had other ideas.
Walking in at seven, the all-rounder launched a sensational counterattack in the final over, smashing four successive sixes off Brad Evans to plunder 28 runs and propel Bangladesh to 186 for 5.
It was the first time a Bangladesh batter had struck four consecutive sixes in T20I cricket.
Zimbabwe's reply never gathered sustained momentum.
Mahedi endured a costly start but recovered brilliantly, dismissing Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brian Bennett and Dion Myers inside the Powerplay to leave the hosts reeling at 21 for 3.
Although Sikandar Raza briefly threatened with a rapid 28 and Ryan Burl battled for 29, Bangladesh's spinners tightened the screws.
Mahedi finished with 3 for 24, while Rishad claimed four wickets as the pair shared seven scalps and conceded only 50 runs from their combined 7.4 overs.
Zimbabwe were eventually restricted to 152, handing Bangladesh a chance to clinch the series in the decider.
The only concern for the Tigers came when pace spearhead Nahid Rana walked off midway through his third over with what appeared to be a side strain, leaving Bangladesh anxiously awaiting an update.
