Zimbabwe, led by their pace spearheads Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani, defended 170 to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. On a surface not known for aiding seamers, Ngarava and Muzarabani shared eight wickets and bowled 29 dot balls between them as they targeted Bangladesh’s batters with bounce and came out on top. Muzarabani’s 4 for 17 was his joint career-best, after he returned the same figures against Australia at the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

It did not initially look like Zimbabwe’s attack would get that many runs to work with. Despite a strong start from Brian Bennett, who scored 44 off 30, they were 116 for 4 in the 14th over and Bangladesh’s seamers were threatening. Taskin Ahmed’s four overs cost only 22 runs while Nahid Rana‘s gave away just eight runs in his first three overs and had already taken four wickets. He finished with 4 for 26. Ryan Burl‘s 25-ball 30 and Brad Evans‘ 10-ball 19 ensured Zimbabwe finished well.

Still, they would have wondered if they had enough. Bangladesh have successfully chased 170-plus scores four times before in T20Is and Bulawayo has seen two totals above 170 chased at the venue so there was precedent. But Ngarava and Muzarabani made sure it was not to be repeated. They reduced Bangladesh to 34 for 3 in the fifth over and then returned to take five wickets for eight runs in 14 balls and bowl Bangladesh out with an over to spare. Yasir Ali‘s 54 was the only inidividual score above 19 in Bangladesh’s innings.

Bennett’s blazing start

After a quiet ODI series, with scores of 17, 0 and 6, Bennett picked up from where he left things at the T20 World Cup, where he was the sixth-leading run-scorer. He started by sending a wide Taskin delivery through the covers for four with a confidence that suggested a big knock was on the cards. Later in the over, he brought out the scoop shot to hit Taskin behind square for four more. Nasum Ahmed, who shared the new ball, was not spared. His fourth delivery was too short and Bennett pulled it for four before he also hit the innings’ first six, off a ball that did not have too much wrong with it, but landed over long-on. Bennett had 21 runs off the first 11 balls he faced but Zimbabwe’s scoring rate slowed as wickets fell. He batted past the halfway stage before he sent Nahid Rana straight to Tanzid Hasan at mid-off to finish on 44 off 30 balls.

Rana squeezes and strikes

Bangladesh brought Rana on in the fourth over, and he immediately put the brakes on Zimbabwe and also made a key incision. Tadiwanashe Marumani, who hit Mahedi Hasan for back-to-back sixes, tried to flick Rana over the leg-side but was caught at deep square leg to end the opening stand on 37. Rana’s first over cost just one run. He was then taken out of the attack and brought back in the 11th over, when he removed Bennett. He conceded two runs off his second over. Again, Rana was taken out of the attack and held back for the death. In the 18th over, Rana came back with the near-perfect penultimate six balls.

His first was a yorker on sixth stump that Milton Shumba managed to keep out. Then, he missed his length and produced a low full toss. Shumba tried to scoop but picked out short fine. His third was length and Tashinga Musekiwa sent it to long-on. That left Rana on a hat-trick and he very nearly got one as he beat Brad Evans with a ball on fourth stump. The last ball of the over went for four but with four wickets for eight runs, Rana already had his best figures. They were spoilt by a final over that cost 18 but a return of 4 for 26 is nothing to scoff.

Ngarava and Muzarabani back and it shows

Zimbabwe rested most of their first-choice pace attack from the third ODI, especially as the series was already won, but brought back their two tall men, who did not take too long to be back among the wickets. In his second over, Ngarava brought out the short ball and it did the trick. He got Saif Hassan with a short ball that cramped him for room and found his bottom edge as he attempted a pull and got Tanzid in similar fashion. In the next over, Muzarabani kept it simple with a good length ball on off stump; Parvez Hossain Emon tried to drive it aerially and hit it to Sikandar Raza at mid-off. Bangladesh were 36 for 3 after four overs, with the required run-rate up to nine an over.

Muzarabani returned to bowl the 17th over, with Bangladesh needing 47 runs off 24 balls and created a chance when Madehi top-edged him to fine leg but Ngarava dropped it. Next ball, Mahedi sliced to mid-off and Zimbabwe made no more mistakes. Muzarabani and Ngarava finished Bangladesh off to give Zimbabwe victory with six balls to spare.

Yasir Ali: back and at his best

It has been 33 months since Yasir last played for Bangladesh but with changes in the squad, he got another opportunity and made the most of it. He was in to bat in the last over of the Powerplay and showed his intent when he sent Ngarava over extra cover for a boundary off the second ball he faced. He worked his way to a run-a-ball 10 before the opportunity to go big came. He punished Dion Myers’ medium-pace and hauled him over midwicket for six in an over that cost 14. Bangladesh then lost two wickets in two overs and were 77 for 5 in the 11th so Yasir had to consolidate again but he took a liking to spin. Sikandar Raza was dispatched over deep cover and swept over midwicket while Burl was pulled for six in the same region. Yasir reached his first T20I fifty off 33 balls but lacked support.