A big moment for Zimbabwe’s Test cricket team came after they managed to secure a win after a four-year wait. Zimbabwe defeated Bangladesh by 3 wickets on day four of the Sylhet Test. This was the first Test match of the two-match BAN vs ZIM series. Zimbabwe’s last win came against Afghanistan in March 2021. The team successfully chased 174 runs to claim victory. This was the highest successful Test chase by Zimbabwe, earlier, the record was 162 runs, adding another layer of history to the victory.
Openers made the chase easy
Chasing 174 runs in the final innings, Zimbabwe’s batsmen Brian Bennett and Ben Curran put together a 50-plus run partnership. In the end, Bennett scored 54 runs, while Curran added 44 runs. The middle order struggled, losing wickets in between. When 30 runs were needed, the team lost 3 more wickets to reach 7 down.
However, Richard Ngarava and Wessly Madhevere remained not out to complete the chase. Additionally, Bennett and Curran created a minor historical record by becoming only the fourth opening pair for Zimbabwe to post fifty-plus partnerships in both innings of a Test match, and the first to do so since 2011.
Domination in bowling and batting
Zimbabwe lost the toss, and Bangladesh chose to bat first. Zimbabwe restricted them effectively, getting them all out for 191. The only half-century for Bangladesh came from Mominul Haque. Blessing Muzarabani and Wellington Masakadza took 3 wickets each to strengthen Zimbabwe’s bowling.
In the first innings, Zimbabwe performed well, with opener Brian Bennett scoring a 57-run knock, and then Sean Williams at number 4 added 59 runs to bolster the side. Zimbabwe took the lead and were all out for 273. For Bangladesh, Mehidy Hasan Miraz powered through with 5 wickets.
The Muzarabani show
Blessing Muzarabani didn’t stop with just taking 3 wickets in the first innings; he delivered in the second innings as well, proving to be a big factor in restricting Bangladesh. Bangladesh was doing well, but the bowler took 6 quick wickets, limiting Bangladesh to 255. Notable performances came from captain Nazmul Hassan Shanto, who scored 60 runs, and Jaker Ali, who added 58 runs in the second innings.
Win after 4 years
This win came after four years of waiting. After the last win, Zimbabwe played 10 Tests against teams including West Indies, Ireland, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan without securing a win. They lost 8 matches and managed to draw 2. This victory boosts the team’s confidence and could inspire a new generation of players, providing a foundation for future success.
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