Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Well folks, that's a wrap of the action here in Bulawayo. Thank you for tuning in and staying with us. Do join us again for the series decider the day after tomorrow. Until then, this is Rashad Mahbub signing off on behalf of Vairavan Karuppaiah and the rest of the Cricinfo crew. Goodnight and goodbye.

Towhid Hridoy: "As a unit, we bowled and batted really well. The batters took responsibility. We are always talking about partnerships, and we had a very good one early on. It was very good batting. [Preparation for the batting unit] Our target was to get a couple of partnerships, with the main focus on the start of the innings. We needed that early partnership, and we executed it today. Looking at the wicket today, our bowlers really bowled well. Our plan was to bowl tight lines, and they executed that well here. [Tough tour in terms of results] As professional players, we have to adjust quickly. We know the conditions now, so we are trying to adapt and execute our plans. [Nahid Rana] Hopefully, he will be okay."

Player of the Match, Mohammad Saifuddin: "First of all, Alhamdulillah. After a long time, it's my first Player of the Match award in T20 Internationals. That's why I'm so excited. Also, we have come back 1-1 in the series. All credit goes to our opening batters. They batted really well. They set up the tone for a big score. Credit also goes to our bowling attack for doing well. Mahedi, Rishad, everyone did well. [Adjusting to the conditions] We discussed it a lot over the last few days. We needed to adjust to the conditions. This is winter here, whereas our conditions at home are very hot. We had a little bit of a problem adjusting to the wicket. But two days ago, we had a good meeting, and that's why our batters did really well today."

Sikandar Raza: "[Conditions] If you look at the first few hours, it definitely turned. And if you look at the seamers as well, there was a bit of a pop. There was slowness of the surface. We knew that the wicket was going to get better before it started to spin. But to be honest, as a captain, I'm genuinely embarrassed to be here. The way we fielded had a ripple effect into our batting. Credit to the bowlers, bar the last over. Even after dropping that many catches, we kept them at bay until the 19th over at 158 or 159. I thought that was a great performance because we had dropped seven catches by then anyway. The last over didn't go well, but the ripple effect of those fielding performances went into our batting, and that's why you see us batting the way we did today. [Bowling unit] After the opening partnership, we didn't think the game had gone away from us as much as the way we fielded made it seem. I thought we were still within reach. I knew that it's not a wicket where you come out and start hitting from ball one. It's going to take a little bit more time for batters to get set, and unfortunately, the new batters would not have that much time. That's why you ended up seeing Bangladesh losing a lot of wickets in that small window. But the last over took the game away from us. At 165, we might have gone about our business slightly differently, and we might have still chased it even after that many dropped catches. It was just really hurtful and poor in the field, and that's something I will be addressing. [How much did that last over hurt you] As much as the last over hurt us, the way we fielded, that was coming. I know Brad didn't try to bowl the way it came out of his hand. A couple of good shots, a couple of bad balls. But to sum up our performance, we dropped a catch off the last ball of the 20th over as well. That just sums up how poor we were in the field today. The last over was tough to take. Conceding 28 or 29 in that over compared to chasing 160 or 165 is different. I just think we didn't deserve to win. Even with 165, we didn't deserve to win."

Mustafa Moudi : "England vs India ODI Series, West Indies vs New Zealand ODI Series and now this T20I Series... Glad that all 3 Matches series went to Decider after being 1-1 after the first 2 games !!"

Manoj G: "@Nishad: You are talking about sending a 'B' team. This is a full fledged series and already the main 'A' team lost test, one day series and T20 series is yet to be decided. If these games are walk in the park for this team, sending your 'B' team is okay. But if not, its all experience and the main guys should get this experience. "

4:05 pm A clinical display with the ball has allowed the visitors to level the series and get back to winning ways, ending their T20I losing streak. Zimbabwe were in early trouble, losing both openers within the first two overs. Raza then struck two fours and a six to get his team back on track in the sixth over, taking the home side to 56 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. Just when Raza was looking in brilliant touch, he departed for a 12-ball 28, nicking a length ball behind to the keeper off Rishad. Rishad continued to cause damage, removing Shumba in his very next over with a lovely flighted delivery. Zimbabwe lost wickets in clusters and failed to build any substantial partnerships, never looking like they were in the hunt to chase down the target. Burl and Musekiwa steadied the innings slightly in the middle overs, but Burl departed for 29 off 19 balls after attempting a slog stroke against Rishad, only to be caught at deep midwicket. A late cameo from Brad Evans, who smashed 25 of 14 balls, provided some entertainment, but the target score proved far too out of reach for the home team. Rishad starred with career-best figures of 4 for 22, while Mahedi chipped in with three wickets. The post-match presentation is coming up next.

Bangladesh won by 34 runs

19.4
W
Rishad Hossain to Muzarabani, OUT, Bowled'em! Quicker and fuller on the off stump line, tries to play the big slog stroke across the line, misses the length and Rishad knocks over the off stump. Handshakes all around, and Bangladesh level the series 1-1.

B Muzarabani b Rishad Hossain 0 (5m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Aweed: "saifuddin deserves motm"

19.3
1
Rishad Hossain to Ngarava, 1 run, tossed up a fuller length ball, swings it away and miscues it over the covers
19.2
2
Rishad Hossain to Ngarava, 2 runs, fuller length ball hoicks it across the line, gets the leading edge over backward point for a couple of runs
19.1
0
Rishad Hossain to Ngarava, no run, length ball with extra bounce off the pitch, tries to heave it away but does not connect. Nurul appeals for a stumping, clever piece of glove work behind the stumps there. Nurul collects the ball behind the stumps and waits a few seconds. In the follow-through of his stroke, Ngarava lifts his back foot but appears to get it down just in time before Nurul whips off the bails.

38 runs needed off 6 balls. Rishad to bowl the last one.

END OF OVER:
19 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | ZIM: 149/9 (38 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.84, RRR: 38.00)

  • Blessing Muzarabani0 (2b)
  • Richard Ngarava12 (14b)
  • Mohammad Saifuddin4-0-36-1
  • Taskin Ahmed4-0-46-0
18.6
0
Mohammad Saifuddin to Muzarabani, no run, full on the pads, inside edges onto the pad and sets off for a single, Ngarava refuses to rotate the strike, an overthrow at the striker's end, but still the batters stay firm in their position.
18.5
0
Mohammad Saifuddin to Muzarabani, no run, back of a length ball attempts to turn it down around the corner, thuds the pad

Blessing Muzarabani is the last batter in

18.4
W
Mohammad Saifuddin to Evans, OUT, Change of pace does the trick! Full and overpitched ball angling away outside off, throws the bat at it and miscues towards the left of deep midwicket. Emon comes around and dives in full stretched, hold on to it and keeps his balance there, takes a spectacular catch!

B Evans c Parvez Hossain Emon b Mohammad Saifuddin 25 (25m 14b 2x4 2x6) SR: 178.57

around the wicket

18.3
1
Mohammad Saifuddin to Ngarava, 1 run, bouncer ball around off, slaps it down the ground to long on
18.2
0
Mohammad Saifuddin to Ngarava, no run, full and overpitched outside off, swing and a miss by Ngarava
18.1
0
Mohammad Saifuddin to Ngarava, no run, yorker ball on the off stump line, digs it out with the toe-end of the bat, hits the bat of Evans at the other end, refuses to rotate the strike
18.1
1w
Mohammad Saifuddin to Ngarava, 1 wide, Starts the over with a wide ball outside off

40 runs needed off 12 balls.

END OF OVER:
18 | 15 Runs | ZIM: 147/8 (40 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.16, RRR: 20.00)

  • Brad Evans25 (13b)
  • Richard Ngarava11 (11b)
  • Taskin Ahmed4-0-46-0
  • Mohammad Saifuddin3-0-34-0
17.6
0
Taskin Ahmed to Evans, no run, Width on offer length ball outside off, play and a miss by Evans

Nishad: "@Karl Winning or losing matches against teams of this caliber is not particularly crucial for Bangladesh. Instead, sending a 'B' team to give opportunities to new faces would have been more beneficial for their development. Major teams--particularly India and Australia, follow this pattern"

17.5
4
Taskin Ahmed to Evans, FOUR, Too full and Evans walks across to lap scoop this one using the pace of the ball, evades the fine leg area with ease.
17.4
6
Taskin Ahmed to Evans, SIX, Picked it up with ease and sent it flying! Poor stuff from Taskin. Bowls a fuller length ball outside off, Evans shuffles across and flat-bats it straight over long off
17.3
0
Taskin Ahmed to Evans, no run, pace off ball outside off, tries to loft it over the thirdman area, play and a miss

over the wicket

17.2
4
Taskin Ahmed to Evans, FOUR, Slashed away! Full and overpitched ball wide outside off, extends his arms and whacks it over the covers

around the wicket

17.1
1
Taskin Ahmed to Ngarava, 1 run, back of a length ball around off, struck it down with the toe-end of the bat to long on

END OF OVER:
17 | 11 Runs | ZIM: 132/8 (55 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.76, RRR: 18.33)

  • Brad Evans11 (8b)
  • Richard Ngarava10 (10b)
  • Mohammad Saifuddin3-0-34-0
  • Taskin Ahmed3-0-31-0
16.6
2
Mohammad Saifuddin to Evans, 2 runs, widish low full toss ball, plays off the front foot and connects the inside part of the bat to deep midwicket for a couple
16.5
0
Mohammad Saifuddin to Evans, no run, pace off ball fuller length outside off, shuffles across to play the lap scoop, does not connect as the ball dies down

around the wicket

16.4
1
Mohammad Saifuddin to Ngarava, 1 run, fuller length ball tries to flick it away, closes the face of the bat and chips it over the cover ring fielder
16.3
0
Mohammad Saifuddin to Ngarava, no run, slower through the air length ball around off, stays low on the track, under-edges onto the turf

saurabhk: "Common Evan, its time to take the revenge. atleast 4 sixes in a row"

16.2
1
Mohammad Saifuddin to Evans, 1 run, slower bouncer ball on the stumps channel, waits for it, opts to leave the ball alone, then plays it too late, top edges to fine leg for a single

Zimbabwe 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st15T MarumaniBJ Bennett
2nd4D MyersBJ Bennett
3rd2D MyersM Shumba
4th44Sikandar RazaM Shumba
5th3RP BurlM Shumba
6th12RP BurlC Madande
7th29RP BurlT Musekiwa
8th0B EvansT Musekiwa
9th40B EvansR Ngarava
10th3R NgaravaB Muzarabani