Harare| Mosaddek Hossain took five top-order wickets to help restrict Zimbabwe to 135/8 before opener Litton Das belted 56 off 33 to usher Bangladesh to a series-leveling seven-wicket win on Sunday in the second T20I played at Harare. Zimbabwe chose to bat after winning the toss and the team got in trouble pretty early on when Mosaddek took a wicket with the very first delivery of the match.
Mosaddek at his best
The hosts slipped up to 6/3 midway through the third over, when Mosaddek had the Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine caught after he attempted a reverse sweep. The left-armed spinner added the wickets of Sean Williams and Milton Shumba as Zimbabwe slumped further to 31/5 in the seventh over.Mosaddek claimed 5 wickets and conceeded 20 runs in his quota of four overs. The low-scoring innings ended with Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl smashing 62 off 53 and 32 off 31 deliveries strengthening Zimbabwe's innings.
Bangladesh's way to a win
Bangladesh comfortably managed to chase down the target of 136 at the loss of three wickets. Das shared 37 runs opening stand with opener Munim Shahriar. After Munim Shahriar's dismissal, Das stitched a partnership of 41 runs for the second wicket with Anamul Haque before he was trapped LBW by Williams. Afif Hossain (30) and Najmul Shanto (19) added an unbeaten 55-run fourth-wicket stand to secure the win to level the three-match series after Zimbabwe won the opener by 17 runs.
Mosaddek Hossain bowled his best by taking five wickets in an inning which made him the man of the match. Bangladesh made a statement as this was a much needed comeback for them.
The third T20 will be a decisive match for ending the series on a winning note for the visitors.The next match is scheduled to be played in Harare on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe Squad : Regis Chakabva (wk), Craig Ervine (c), Wesley Madhevere, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Milton Shumba, Luke Jongwe, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Tanaka Chivanga.
Bangladesh Squad: Munim Shahriar, Litton Das, Anamul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (c & wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud.
(Inputs from PTI)
