Mohammad Ashraful and Tamim Iqbal shared a partnership of 137 to lead Bangladesh to an easy eight-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Ashraful hit 103 not out and Iqbal made 63 as the visitors reached their target of 208 with more than 15 overs in hand.
Junaid Siddique was the only other Bangladesh casualty, as Raqibul Hasan joined Ashraful to steer them home. Mark Vermeulen had earlier posted 92 before being run out as Zimbabwe reached 207 all out from 47.5 overs. Ashraful smashed 12 fours and two sixes in 103 balls as Bangladesh made 211-2.
“The last two years I was captain and I didn’t bat that well,” said Ashraful, who was replaced as skipper by Mashrafe Mortaza in June.
“Now, I’m playing better and enjoying my cricket. I am more relaxed.”
Bangladesh pace bowler Najmul Hossain took 3-29 as Zimbabwe failed to make much out of a batsman-friendly Bulawayo wicket.
Vermeulen put on 48 with Brendan Taylor, who scored 19 before Shakib Al Hasan trapped him lbw to make it 74-3 in the 21st over.
Wickets then fell at regular intervals, with Elton Chigumbura (20) and Charles Coventry (19) the only other Zimbabwean batsmen to get a start.
“We lost too many wickets and should have applied ourselves more,” Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya said.
“We needed to keep wickets in hand and attack in the middle overs.”
Scoreboard
Full scoreboard of the first of five One Day Internationals between Zimbabwe and
Bangladesh at the Queen’s Sports Club here on Sunday.
Zimbabwe
H Masakadza c Mushfiqur Rahim b Syed Rasel 0
M Vermeulen run out (Raqibul Hasan/Syed Rasel) 92
C Chibhabha c Mushfiqur Rahim b Nazmul Hossain 7
B Taylor lbw b Shakib
Al Hasan 20
C Coventry c Mahmudullah b Mohammad Ashraful 19
S Williams lbw b Mahmudullah 6
S Matsikenyeri c Naeem Islam b Mahmudullah 9
E Chigumbura b Shakib Al Hasan 20
P Utseya b Nazmul Hossain 14
R Price b Nazmul
Hossain 11
A Cremer not out 1
Extras (b5, lb2, nb1) 8
Total (all out;
47.5 overs) 207
Bowling: Syed Rasel 9-1-32-1, Nazmul Hossain 6.5-0-29-3 (1nb), Shakib Al Hasan 10-2- 42-2, Enamul Haque jnr 10-0-43-0, Mahmudullah 8-1-39-2
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal c Coventry
b Chigumbura 63
Junaid Siddique c
Cremer b Chibhabha 21
Mohammad Ashraful
not out 103
Raqibul Hasan not out 11
Extras (w12, nb1) 13
Total (2 wickets;
34.3 overs) 211
Bowling: Chigumbura 7-0-33-1 (3w); C Chibhabha 6.3-0-50-1 (1nb); P Utseya 6-0-31-0 (1w); R Price 7-0-48-0 (6w); A Cremer 5-0-30-0 (1w); H Masakadza 3-0-19-0
Source: Daily New Nation
