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Bangladesh defeated Zimbabwe in the first T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series at Harare Sports Club on Thursday. The visitors produced a clinical performance with bat and ball to record a comprehensive 8-wicket victory.
Riding on spectacular half-centuries by the openers Mohammad Naim and Soumya Sarkar, the touring party gunned down the target of 153 with sev♛en balls to spare. Naim and Sarkar gave absolute no chance to Zimbabwe bowlers during their chase.
The duo added 102 runs for the opening wicket to take the game away from Sikandar Raza & Co. While Naim remained unbeaten on 63 from 51 deliveries, Sarkar scored 50 off꧒ 45 balls before he met a run-out in the 14th over.
Interestingly, Bangladesh lost their second wicket also through a run-out in the form of captain Mahmudullah (15). Then, wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan formed an unbeaten 30-🌃run partnership with Naim to🎃 take his side over the finish line.
Earlier, the home team got bundled out for 152 in 19 overs. Regis Chakabva and Dion Myers were the highest run-getters for Zimbabwe. While Chakabva scored 43 off 22 balls, Myers also took 22 deliveries to make 35 runs. Pacer Luke Jongwe contributed with 18 down the order to take the team’s total beyond the mark of 150.
For the visiting side, Mustafizur Rahman was the pick of the bowler, taking three wickets for 31 runs in 4 overs. Apart from the left-armer, Shoriful Islam (2/17) and Mohammad Saifuddin (2/23) bagged a couple of scalps each.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Bangladesh won by 8 wickets.
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers)
| RESULT: 🇧🇩 won by 8⃣🍨 wickets and lead the 3 match series 1-0
Match summary 👇 | | |
— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv)
A brilliant eight-wicket win for 🇧🇩
Half-centuries from Mohammad Naim and Sou🦄mya S🍸arkar have helped them chase 153 with seven balls to spare 👏 🗒️
— ICC (@ICC)
Mohammad Naim and Soumya Sarkar share Bangladesh's first ever T20I century opening stand.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Bangladesh men in their:-
100th ODI – Won by 15 runs v IND, 2004
100th Test – Won by 4 wkts v SL, 2017
100th T20I – Won by 8 wkts v ZIM, 2021🌱Bangladesh becomes the only 3rdꦏ team to win their 100th match in all three formats after Australia & Pakistan.
— Mahi (@kexo654)
What an innings from Mohammad Naim!
So solid ♥️ 🇧🇩— sumitsarker (@thesumitsarker)
Bangladesh win the first T20I by eight wickets, chasing down the ta🐼rget of 153 comfortably thanks to fifties from Mohammad Naim and♊ Soumya Sarkar
— Maymun Uddin (@axonmamun)
