Chittagong Test: Bangladesh crushes Zimbabwe by an innings and 106 runs, Mehidy Hasan’s all-round brilliance!
Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe and level the Test series, historic win in Chittagong!
In the second Test match played at Chittagong, Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 106 runs and leveled the series 1-1. Zimbabwe’s team collapsed on the third day itself in front of Mehidy Hasan’s magical all-round performance and Taijul Islam’s bowling. This match was no less than an action packed movie for cricket lovers!
Mehidy Hasan: The amazing feat of ‘Hero of the Match’
Bangladesh’s spin bowler Mehidy Hasan showed such a charisma in this match which will always be remembered in cricket history. He played a brilliant innings of 104 runs in the first innings and then forced Zimbabwe to kneel by taking 5 wickets in the second innings. Mehidy has become the third Bangladeshi player after Shakib Al Hasan and Sohag Gazi to complete the double feat of a century and five wickets in the same Test match. He is the 39th player to achieve this feat in world cricket.
Match summary: Zimbabwe collapses, Bangladesh dominates
Zimbabwe won the toss and decided to bat first but could only score 227 runs in front of Taijul Islam’s hard work of 6 wickets. In reply, Bangladesh scored a huge score of 444 runs in which apart from Mehidy’s century, Tanjim Hasan (41 runs in debut match) and Taijul (20 runs) also contributed. Bangladesh got a lead of 217 runs, which proved to be the turning point of the match.
In the second innings, Zimbabwe’s bat was again useless. The team was reduced to just 111 runs in front of the bad pitch and Bangladeshi spinners. Apart from Ben Curran (46 runs) and captain Craig Ervine (25 runs), no batsman could survive. Mehidi took 5/32 and Taijul took 3/42 to trouble Zimbabwe.
Series title race: Took revenge of the first test
This victory is also special for Bangladesh because Zimbabwe defeated them by 3 wickets in the first test. On the home pitch of Chittagong the hosts fulfilled their dream of levelling the series on the strength of spinners. The match ended in the second session of the third day, which shows the exciting nature of test cricket.
Youngsters showed strength: Tanzim and Masakadza’s struggle
Debutant Tanzim Hasan not only scored 41 runs in batting but also strengthened the team by making a ninth wicket partnership of 96 runs with Mehidy. At the same time, Zimbabwe’s Wesley Madhevere tried to give relief to his team by dismissing Tanjim, but by then Bangladesh’s lead had reached above 200.
Pitch’s role: Spinners’ paradise
The Chittagong pitch had deteriorated so much by the third day that it was becoming difficult for the batsmen to face the spin bowlers. The balls were turning rapidly and the Zimbabwean batsmen succumbed to it. Mehidi and Taijul took full advantage of this situation which led to the result of the match in just three days.
Zimbabwe’s disappointment: What went wrong?
This match was completely forgettable for Zimbabwe. In the first innings, Vincent Masekesa (5 wickets) performed brilliantly on debut, but batting failure knocked the team out of the match. Captain Ervin admitted that the team’s preparation against the spinners was incomplete.
Series Conclusion: Bangladesh’s rise continues
With this win, Bangladesh has maintained its dominance on home ground. The performance of youngsters like Mehidy and Taijul raises hopes for the team’s future. On the other hand, Zimbabwe needs to work on its batting for the next series.
Did you know?
- Mehidy Hasan has taken 11 wickets in the last two Test matches.
- This is Bangladesh’s 15th Test win at Chittagong.
- This is Bangladesh’s biggest Test win margin (innings and 106 runs) against Zimbabwe.
With this win, Bangladesh has proved that it can challenge any team in home conditions. Now all eyes are on the next series, where the team will prepare to prove its mettle against giants like India and Australia!
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