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Carrying forward their momentum from a thumping 3-0 whitewash in the ODI series, hosts Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe in the first T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka on Monday.
Usual suspects, Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das continued their purple patch by providing an explosive start at the top. Before Iqbal perished on 41, Bangladesh crossed 90 within ten overs.
Das impressed yet again with his knock of 59, which came off just 33 deliveries, scoring eight lip-smacking boundaries (5 fours, 3 sixes).
Liton Das's last five international innings:
59
176
9
126*
53Fair to say he's in some form! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mHO4fT5Xil
— ICC (@ICC) March 9, 2020
However, the innings belonged to Soumya Sarkar, who pushed the Bangladesh total to 200, with his fine unbeaten knock of 62 off just 32 deliveries.
Sarkar, scoring at a fierce strike rate of 193, hit four boundaries and five sixes during his knock. Bangladesh posted another daunting target of 201 in front of the hapless Zimbabwe line-up.
Soumya Sarkar hit three sixes in the last over to finish on a T20I-best of 62* from 32 balls 🔥
He has carried Bangladesh to 200/3.#BANvZIM pic.twitter.com/T7HU0KwtX5
— ICC (@ICC) March 9, 2020
Yet again, it was the overdependence on Sikander Raza down the order, which cost Zimbabwe the match. None of the batsmen were able to anchor the run-chase with a substantial knock.
Raza, who looked in a flashy form off-late, had a rare failure on tour. For the bowlers, it was the lethal combination of Mustafizur Rahman and leg-spinning all-rounder Aminul Islam, who shined for Bangladesh. Both picked three wickets each during their spell.
Two in two for Aminul Islam!
The Bangladesh bowlers are tearing through Zimbabwe here 🔥 #BANvZIM pic.twitter.com/dIxqrzHHqR
— ICC (@ICC) March 9, 2020
Tight bowling from Mohammad Saifuddin, Shia Islam, and Mehedi Hasan bottled the Zimbabwe batters under pressure. As a result, Bangladesh won the match comfortably by 48 runs, after bundling out Zimbabwe on 152.
One of the most graceful left-handers produced by the Tigers, Sarkar, walked away with the Man of the Match title as the hosts lead the 2-match series by 1-0.
Brief Scores
Bangladesh 200/3(20 overs) beat Zimbabwe 154/10(20 overs) by 48 runs
Soumya Sarkar 62(34), Liton Das 59(39), Mustafizur Rahman 3/32, Aminul Islam 3/34
