Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani delivered an exceptional bowling performance to lead Zimbabwe to a 32-run victory over Bangladesh in the first T20I of their three-match series at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The pace duo claimed four wickets each, restricting Bangladesh to 138 runs in 19 overs despite Yasir Ali’s impressive 54 off 38 balls. This defeat added to Bangladesh’s woes on their tour, having already lost the Test match and the ODI series.
Bangladesh’s Nahid Rana recorded his career-best T20I figures of 4 for 26, but Brian Bennett’s aggressive 44 off 30 deliveries, along with crucial late-order contributions from Ryan Burl (30 not out) and Brad Evans (19 not out), propelled Zimbabwe to a competitive total of 170 for six after being put in to bat.
In pursuit of 171 runs, Bangladesh struggled early on, losing key wickets within the powerplay overs, with Saif Hassan (12), Tanzid Hasan Tamim (16), and Parvez Hossain Emon (5) departing early to leave them at 34 for three. Despite a partnership between stand-in captain Tawhid Hridoy (14) and Yasir Ali, Bangladesh faltered further with quick dismissals, ultimately collapsing as they lost their last five wickets for just eight runs.
Yasir Ali, playing his first international match since 2023, showcased an attacking batting display with two fours and three sixes, forming a crucial partnership with Mahedi Hasan (19). However, once both Yasir and Mahedi fell in quick succession, Bangladesh’s hopes faded. Ngarava finished with figures of 4 for 26, and Muzarabani contributed 4 for 17 to secure Zimbabwe’s victory, giving them a 1-0 lead in the series.
Zimbabwe seemed on track for a bigger total before Rana and Mohammad Saifuddin (2 for 35) struck at crucial junctures, leaving the hosts at 139 for six in the 18th over. However, Burl and Evans combined effectively in the final overs, adding an unbeaten 31 runs to set a challenging target for Bangladesh.
The second T20I between the two teams is scheduled to take place at the same venue on Friday.