Debutant Tanzid Hasan struck a crucial 67 not out to guide Bangladesh to a convincing eight-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the opening T20 International of the five-match series in Chittagong on Friday.
Chasing a modest target of 125, Bangladesh cruised to victory in just 15.2 overs, with Tanzid anchoring the chase alongside an unbeaten 33 from Towhid Hridoy. The youngster impressed with his knock, peppering his innings with eight fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Zimbabwe endured a disastrous batting collapse, slumping to 41-7 after electing to bat first. A record-breaking eighth-wicket stand between Clive Madande (43) and Wellington Masakadza (34) provided some late resistance, but their efforts weren’t enough.
Taskin Ahmed was the star with the ball for Bangladesh, picking up three wickets for just 14 runs in his four overs.Mohammad Saifuddin chipped in with two scalps, while Mahedi Hasan and Shoriful Islam bagged a wicket apiece.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was pleased with the win but stressed the importance of learning from the encounter. He praised Tanzid’s performance and expressed hope for the youngster to continue his good form.
Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza lamented his team’s batting woes, particularly the failures of their senior players. He acknowledged the need for improvement but expressed confidence in a comeback for the second match.
The series, Bangladesh’s final preparation before the T20 World Cup, continues with the second T20I in Chittagong on Sunday.
