Nayeem Hasan picked up five wickets and Taijul Islam four as Bangladesh secured victory by an innings and 106 runs on the fourth day of the only Test against Zimbabwe in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Resuming the day on 9/2, a deficit of 286, after Mushfiqur Rahim’s unbeaten 203* had propelled Bangladesh to 560/6 declared, Zimbabwe were up against it. Unfortunately for them, their batsmen were unable to counter the turn on offer, which was expertly exploited by Nayeem and Taijul.
Kevin Kasuza was the first to fall on the day, edging a defensive shot off Taijul to second slip after the ball spun sharply away from him. The veteran Brendan Taylor was able to resist for 47 deliveries, but then mis-hit a sweep to deep backward square leg off Nayeem.
Captain Craig Ervine batted with attacking intent – he even hit a six off Nayeem – and put up 60 runs with Sikandar Raza for the fifth wicket, and for a while, it seemed there were chances for the visitors to stave off an innings loss.
However, he was run out for 43 with a direct hit from Mominul Haque at the cover, and Zimbabwe were punished for their indecisive running at the stroke of lunch.
In the afternoon session, Raza, after looking solid for most of his 71-ball stay, pulled a long-hop off Taijul straight to Mushfiqur at mid-wicket to fall for 37. Timycen Maruma kept the fight alive with a proactive 41, but the spin-twins continued to chip away, and there wasn’t much the Zimbabwe lower-order could do.
Nayeem, the 19-year-old off-spinner, finished with five wickets to follow up his four in the first innings to finish with remarkable match figures of 9/152.
In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo
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