Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh Match 1 Full Commentary

Welcome back, folks. It's Bangladesh's response time with the bat. 271 might look a bit par on the board, but given the history at Abu Dhabi in the ODIs, the teams have managed to defend their totals more often than not, but 270-plus has been chased successfully three times at this venue, which sets up a thrilling second half. Also, there's a fair bit of everything for everyone on this surface, but how the ball reacts under the lights will be interesting to see. Given the experience in the batting unit, one might bank on the Tigers to get the job done, but you cannot count out the Chevrons at all. They have pushed big teams to the limits before. Right, the two umpires are out in the middle. The players of Zimbabwe disperse out of the huddle to take their fielding spots. Soumya Sarkar and Tanzid Hasan are the two openers for Bangladesh. Blessing Muzarabani has the new ball and is ready to steam in. Tanzid is on strike. Off we go...

... The Run Chase ...

Saif turns the tide before a late Zimbabwean surge - Just as Zimbabwe looked set to launch at 174/3, golden-armed spinner Saif Hassan turned the tide by removing Brendan Taylor for a superb 81 and captain Sikandar Raza for 4 in quick succession, reducing them to 182/5. Bangladesh kept tightening the screws as Rishad Hossain dismissed Wessly Madhevere, followed by the biggest heartbreak of the afternoon when Shoriful Islam fooled Craig Ervine with a slower ball to have him caught behind for a magnificent 93. After Shoriful also sent back Brad Evans to leave the innings fading at 234/8, Newman Nyamhuri and Wellington Masakadza delivered one final twist. Smashing 26 runs off the last three overs in an unbeaten 37-run stand, the duo propelled Zimbabwe to a very competitive 271/8, leaving this contest evenly poised ahead of the chase!

A quick word from the run accumulator - Brendan Taylor, on going past Andy Flower's tally in ODI cricket, says it feels great. Adds that Flower is someone very dear to him and an inspiration to many, and he will always hold him in the highest regard. It has been a great day, he says, and he is grateful. When asked about his partnership with Craig Ervine, he shares that the two spoke about the need to rebuild the innings. Adds that they know each other very well, and calls Ervine a great friend, so it was nice to bat together. On the World Cup preparations, Taylor calls it a totally different time, with a home World Cup on the horizon. It is very special for the side, he says, and they are preparing in the right direction. A few good series follow this one, which he feels is the ideal build-up. About the score, he reckons that it is a par score and stresses the need to bowl well and keep making inroads throughout to restrict Bangladesh.

The veterans lead the rescue - In walked veterans Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine to rebuild the innings from the ruins. Showing immense calm and class, the duo soaked up the pressure and slowly began finding the boundaries. Ervine rode his luck along the way, surviving a plumb LBW shout in the 30th over when Bangladesh opted not to review against Rishad Hossain, and then successfully overturning an on-field LBW decision off Shoriful Islam in the 33rd over. Making the most of those lifelines, the pair stitched together a brilliant 150-run partnership off 176 balls to put Zimbabwe right back in the driver's seat.

Zimbabwe end their innings with 271/8! Choosing to bat first, Zimbabwe walked straight into a fiery opening spell from Taskin Ahmed. Moving the ball at express pace, Taskin ripped through the top order to trap Brian Bennett for a duck, send back Ben Curran for 6, and have Tafadzwa Tsiga caught behind for 16. Within seven overs, Zimbabwe were reduced to 24/3 and crawled to just 30 runs by the end of the first powerplay, leaving Bangladesh in total control.

Righto, time for the final over of the first innings. Can Zimbabwe get to 270? Mustafizur Rahman (9-2-33-0) will wrap it up.

Penalty for Bangladesh as they have not completed their overs in time. Meaning, an extra fielder will have to be stationed inside the 30-yard circle. Taskin Ahmed will bowl out. 9-2-36-3 so far.

Mustafizur Rahman is back on. 8-2-27-0 so far.

Over and out - Zimbabwe come out on top once more against Bangladesh in ODIs, and this is their third win out of four meetings this year alone. They will be really pleased with the kind of performance they put on tonight. They were brilliant with the bat and ball, alright, but their energy in the field, putting in the hard yards and saving crucial runs here and there was just as important. For Bangladesh, once again, their batting vulnerabilities came back to haunt them. A recurring problem that seems to have no end, especially in this format. Their batting was outclassed by disciplined bowling and with just one match left to play in this tri-series, their next assignment against Afghanistan will be a must-win. Righto, that's that from the series opener. Up next, a high-flying Zimbabwe side will take on Afghanistan after a day's break. That game will be played on Monday, 19th October, with the first ball set to be bowled at 11.30 am GMT. Until then, cheers!

The victorious captain of Zimbabwe - Sikandar Raza, when asked for his thoughts on the win, says the partnership after the shaky start held the innings together. Zimbabwe studied the data from their last ten games, so he considers 271 a good effort, with 265 being par and 271 giving them something to bowl at. He credits Wellington Masakadza and Newman Nyamhuri for the late momentum, calling cricket a momentum-driven game. On the fightback with the ball, he says Blessing Muzarabani was unlucky and bowled well. Zimbabwe need two bowlers firing together, he stresses, because in the past one has performed while the other struggled, and that is something they must fix. He is pleased with the character on show. Highlights that Bangladesh were ahead of the game after 14 or 15 overs, only two down and close to 100, so the way his side hit back was pleasing. Speaking on fielding, Raza says the group has put in a lot of work and has lost plenty of games because of it. Stresses that they want to be known as a good fielding side, and he calls it non-negotiable. Adds that it comes down to attitude, enjoyment and fight, and if you chase every ball, the catches that weren’t sticking eventually do. On personal milestones, Raza says he doesn’t care for them. He says his 100 international wickets is something his teammates, family and fans will be prouder of than him. Mentions what hurts him is being part of a team that doesn’t win, not the lack of a win as captain. He hopes this is the start of many, and he says the aim is the same whoever leads, since this win counts as much as those under other captains. On recovery, he admits it is tough. Says this is Zimbabwe’s first tour to the subcontinent in these weather conditions, and the heat has hit them hard. Notes that it will come down to mental toughness and discipline, because they are back in action in under 36 hours.

The captain of Bangladesh - Towhid Hridoy, on the first innings and the strong start with the ball, says that they had a good start. Notes that the pitch was a decent one to bat on, but the batting unit made a couple of mistakes. Says they had a very good start, but the middle overs did not go well. When asked whether he was satisfied with the fightback that held Zimbabwe to a chaseable total, Hridoy says Bangladesh could have chased it. The bowlers did their job, he notes, and the batters should take responsibility, since totals like this should be within their reach. On the DRS struggles in the Test and again in the ODI, he says the team will talk about it. Sometimes, he adds, they simply need to trust the bowler. Finally, on becoming his country’s ODI captain for the first time despite the defeat, Hridoy calls it a proud moment for him and his family, and hopes it continues.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Craig Ervine takes home the award for his fluent 93 off 106 balls, graced with nine fours. On what pleased him the most tonight, Ervine says they got a win to their name and at the end of the day, that is what matters most. Adds that after all the work done with the bat, seeing it turn into a victory feels very satisfying. On missing out on a hundred, he admits it is disappointing. Says that batting that long with six or seven overs still to go, you want to reach three figures and then cash in at the back end. At this stage, he says, you take each game as it comes. Adds that it is nice to be in a bit of form after scoring runs in the Australian series, and he hopes it continues. Batting with Brendan Taylor, he says, is always special. Notes that Taylor has a calm air about him, and he likes how composed his start was. Details that he didn’t get flustered by the strike rate, then built up and brought the momentum back to Zimbabwe. On the pitch, Ervine says it swung around early with a bit of nip off the seam. Once that wore off, he highlights that the two (him and Taylor) decided it was time to up the ante. The partnership was really good, he adds, especially once the spin came on, and they scored quite freely. Adds that they got bogged down a couple of times, but experience and staying calm under pressure helped them build a big stand, which made the difference.

... The post-match Presentation ...

Here's the man of the moment - Brad Evans speaks to the broadcasters. On dismissing Tanzid, Brad Evans says it was nice to finish that way. Says that Tanzid has had the better of Zimbabwe in the last few white-ball series and is a tough player to bowl at. But shares that the dressing room message was simple - to give your best. He adds that it feels nice to come back and take wickets for the team. He further says that cricket is all about partnership and they have got each other's back and ends by saying that they will carry on with the same momentum.

Veterans to the rescue - Taskin’s blazing start left Zimbabwe wobbling at 24/3, but Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine, two of the most seasoned heads in the side, refused to let the innings unravel. They saw off the early storm and found their rhythm as the overs went by. Both reached fifty, and by the time they were done they had added 150 and carried Zimbabwe to 174/3. Saif Hassan then sent back Taylor, and the innings lost its direction. Raza and Madhevere fell in a hurry, and with the set batters gone, Zimbabwe tumbled to 234/8. However, with some late contributions through Nyamhuri and Masakadza, the Chevrons did manage to breach the 270-run figure. It was a classic ODI innings, with both sides having to fight back after being pushed onto the back foot.

Hunted in a pack - Zimbabwe’s bowling was complete in every sense, with each bowler picking up at least one wicket. Muzarabani set the tone by asking tough questions with steep bounce, while Newman Nyamhuri got the ball to move off the surface. Nyamhuri did leak runs but was electric in the field, doing the hard yards. The spin pair of Wellington Masakadza and Sikandar Raza then piled on the misery on the opponents, landing further blows in the gut of a wobbling batting order. But the man who stood out was Brad Evans. Expensive in his first spell, he came back to finish with excellent figures of 4/45 in 6.4 overs.

A good takeoff, then a nosedive - Bangladesh began briskly even after losing Sarkar early, with Tanzid Hasan setting the tone through fluent strokeplay. He fell off the final ball of the Powerplay, and Evans removed Shanto soon after, leaving Bangladesh at 66/3 after such a lively beginning. The pitch offered a fair bit of movement and bounce, and Muzarabani and Nyamhuri made the most of it. Hridoy and Saif then began to rebuild, but Raza broke the budding partnership and left Bangladesh at 97/4, with yet another repair job on their hands. However, they just couldn't recover from that dent and kept losing wickets one after the other. Rishad did flex his muscles to make up for an expensive night with the ball, but it was all in a losing cause.

Chevrons fly high - A pure demolition job from Zimbabwe, who hand Bangladesh a crushing defeat. They were one or two steps ahead of their opponents in each and every department tonight. Interestingly, it is also Zimbabwe’s first ODI win under Raza’s captaincy, and he looks like a man who has just shaken a monkey off his back. Joy fills the Zimbabwe camp, while the frustration in Bangladesh's camp is clear, and they have plenty to ponder.

Mustafizur Rahman is the last batter.

DRINKS! Bangladesh are 161/8 after 32 overs, and they need 111 runs in 108 balls now. Rishad Hossain and Taskin Ahmed will have to play a miraculous innings to get Bangladesh over the line from here on. Zimbabwe will continue their hunt for wickets and try to bowl out their opponents. Let's see how it ends...