Tigers Win Series 4-1: Nayeem seals last-gasp win
Bishwajit Roy from Ctg: Brendan Taylor’s maiden hundred went in vain as Nayeem Islam’s pyro-techniques stole the show in the end to snatch a one-wicket victory for Bangladesh against a much improved Zimbabwe in the fifth and final one-day international at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium yesterday.
The visitors were very close to finish the tour with some solace by winning the first and last games but Nayeem played his career best knock of an unbeaten 73 that contained four boundaries and as many sixes to ensure that the Tigers finished the year on a winning note.
And finally Bangladesh won the series 4-1 as desired after the shocking five-wicket defeat in the first game at Mirpur to put the cap on a sterling year.
Right-hander Nayeem came up with a powerful big hitting display when his side required 24 runs from the last three overs with last batsman Nazmul Hossain at the other end, chasing a winning target of 222 runs.
Military-medium paceman Chamu Chibhabha felt the heat as the number eight Bangladesh batsman mercilessly punished him to collect 19 runs in the 47th over which saw three big sixes to dash the visitors’ hopes.
It was a much better track for the batters than the previous one but again the Zimbabwean batsmen except Taylor found no answer to the local left-arm spinners after Tigers captain Shakib Al Hasan had decided to field in overcast condition. The lone effort from wicketkeeper batsman Taylor, who struck seven fours and four sixes during his unbeaten knock of 118 off 125 balls, and the notable contribution from Elton Chigumbura (38) gave the visitors a total of 221-9 to defend.
But in reply, the home side’s top-order again wobbled which was started by the unfortunate departure of dashing opener and local hero Tamim Iqbal in the very first over. Tamim left the field suffering pain in his hand after receiving a short ball from Christopher Mpofu but he had to return after his side lost eight wickets for 179 runs. And another misfortune followed him as the left-hander fell victim of a run out, the third such incident in the Bangladesh innings which also included former skipper Mohammad Ashraful and Mahmudullah Riyad.
Bangladesh were struggling at 105 for five and Nayeem joined Riyad to revive the hopes by associating in a 99-run sixth wicket stand before the latter was dismissed for 33 off 53 balls.
Earlier Shakib, Zunaed Siddiqui, Rokibul Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim paid price for bad shots.
It was however the Bangladesh spinners led by man-of-the-series Abdur Razzak, who took 15 wickets in five matches, who continued their success also in the last match by picking up all nine wickets of the Zimbabwe innings.
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