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Bangladesh secured the T20I series in the third game in Chattogram, holding off a late batting comeback by Zimbabwe’s tailenders, Faraz Akram and Blessing Muzarabani. With two games remaining in Dhaka, they triumphed by nine runs on Tuesday.
Playing in just his fifth Twenty20 international, Akram hit an unbeaten 34 off 19 balls as the visitors collapsed to 91 for eight while trying to chase Bangladesh’s 165 for 5 when batting first. Together with Wellington Masakadza, he scored 54 runs, which set a new record for Zimbabwe’s ninth wicket.
Akram’s 34 was also the highest score by a hitter at No. 10 in Zimbabwe. In the last over, Muzarabani, who had earlier had career-best statistics of 3 for 14, hit two fours when Zimbabwe needed 21 runs. However, Saifuddin put an end to the issue with some precise death-over bowling.
For the third straight game, Zimbabwe scored lower-order runs, particularly after their middle and top order collapsed. Once more, Towhid Hridoy was vital in Bangladesh’s victory. During an 87-run fourth wicket stand with Jaker Ali (44), Hridoy scored his maiden Twenty20 International fifty. In the first nine overs, this duo had to save Bangladesh from losing three wickets.
Later in the over, Akram hit Rishad for two sixes over midwicket. In the 17th over, he got two more fours from Saifuddin. After missing a challenging opportunity to take advantage of Masakadza’s top edge in the eighteenth over, Taskin returned to give just six runs in the last over.
Masakadza was dismissed by Saifuddin with the first ball of the last over, and Muzarabani then hit two straight fours to cut the target to 13 off three balls. Even though the Zimbabwean heroism had run its course, it was still impressive.