Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2nd ODI Full Commentary

We are back for the chase! The players are already out in the middle now. Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar are the two openers for Bangladesh. Richard Ngarava to start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

The final flourish - With a solid platform finally set, Zimbabwe shifted gears in the final overs to push their total to 247. Brad Evans played a spectacular counter-attacking knock, finishing unbeaten on 58 off just 38 balls, while Curran remained the undisputed hero of the innings, carrying his bat through for a masterclass 111 not out. Bangladesh will be incredibly happy with how they started, but deeply disappointed with how they let the grip slip at the death. Taskin Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz did the heavy lifting with two wickets apiece, while Nahid Rana and Rishad Hossain kept things tidy with a wicket each. 248 is the target for Bangladesh, and with the surface offering a bit of everything, this game hangs beautifully in the balance. Stay tuned for the chase!

A quick word - Brad Evans is in for a chat. He says that it was awesome batting out there, with the crowd behind him, and he enjoyed every bit of it. Adds that Ben Curran is one of his best mates and he cannot be prouder of him, witnessing his second ODI hundred. Evans mentions that cricket is a funny game, so he does not want to say that they have enough runs, but they defended a much lower score in the first game, and as a bowling unit, they are happy with this total.

A century to remember - The rebuilding phase grew even tougher when Wessly Madhevere departed in the 17th over, but that is when the turnaround began. The experienced Sikandar Raza joined forces with Curran, and the duo combined patience with smart cricket to stitch together a crucial 68-run partnership off 95 balls. Even though Raza fell for a well-made 33 in the 33rd over, Curran kept his cool. Joined by Brad Evans, Curran anchored the innings perfectly, playing with incredible maturity to cross the milestone and celebrate a magnificent, gritty century.

Zimbabwe end with a solid 247 - It was a nightmare start for Zimbabwe after being put in to bat. Bangladesh's Taskin Ahmed launched a fierce initial assault, moving the ball beautifully and picking up two early wickets by removing both Brian Bennett and Innocent Kaia for single digits. When Craig Ervine fell shortly after, also scoring under ten, Zimbabwe found themselves gasping for breath at a precarious 37/3 by the end of the 10th over. While wickets kept tumbling like a pack of cards around him, opener Ben Curran stood like a rock, completely refusing to surrender his wicket against a disciplined Bangladeshi attack.

Taskin Ahmed to bowl the final over. How many runs can Zimbabwe get? Let's see.

Bangladesh have been penalised for Slow Over Rate. They can only have 4 fielders outside the circle for the last two overs.

Shoriful Islam to bowl out now.

Over and out - That brings us to the end of an absolute thriller, where Zimbabwe produce a remarkable comeback to seal a memorable victory and clinch the ODI series with a game to spare. There is still one match left to play, though, and Bangladesh will be eager to end on a high, while Zimbabwe will have their sights set on a clean sweep. The third and final ODI will be played right here at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday, 11 July, with the first ball scheduled for 7.30 am GMT. As always, be sure to join us a little earlier for all the build-up. Until then, it's goodbye and cheers!

The victorious skipper of Zimbabwe - Richard Ngarava admits Zimbabwe did not bat well in the first ODI and says the team knew it had to respond. He is pleased with the way the batters built a few important partnerships and believes the bowling unit once again showed its strength by working together as a group. He adds that Zimbabwe have developed a habit of finding a way to stay in the contest, no matter the situation. He describes the stands between Ben Curran and Sikandar Raza, and later Curran and Brad Evans, as crucial to Zimbabwe's total, with the late partnership with Evans providing the perfect finish. He also praises the coaching staff for the work they have put in behind the scenes, particularly during sidearm sessions, and says it is rewarding to see that preparation translating into performances on the field. He says many of the decisions come down to instinct and reading the game in the moment. While he regularly discusses plans with the experienced players and values their input, he knows the final call rests with him as captain and is comfortable taking that responsibility on the field. He calls the series win a special moment and says the team will enjoy and celebrate it, but insists the focus quickly shifts to the final ODI. He wants Zimbabwe to maintain the same intensity and deliver another strong performance for the home supporters.

The captain of Bangladesh - Mehidy Hasan Miraz feels Bangladesh made an excellent start with the ball to reduce Zimbabwe to 66/4, but admits they failed to capitalise. The unbeaten 99-run partnership proved costly, as the bowlers couldn't find the breakthrough needed to halt the hosts' momentum. He believes Bangladesh could have built more pressure during that crucial partnership. A wicket at that stage, in his opinion, would have shifted the momentum back in their favour and prevented Zimbabwe from posting a competitive total. Miraz shares the surface played well and feels 249 was a chaseable target, with the ball coming onto the bat even better in the second innings. While Bangladesh batted well through the middle overs, he believes the lack of partnerships in the final ten overs ultimately proved to be the difference. He admits batting under the lights wasn't the easiest, but prefers to focus on the positives. He believes there are plenty of lessons to take from the game, with building partnerships standing out as the biggest area for improvement.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Ben Curran wins the award for his excellent unbeaten 111 off 135 balls. He says the conditions play a bit differently in winter and notes that there is assistance for bowlers both in the morning and in the afternoon, so he feels getting to the total they did was a good effort. On his own knock, he says he hasn’t played many one-dayers lately and takes confidence from the previous series, adding that it sounds cliché but sticking to his processes makes it easier to focus and bat through while wickets fall in the middle. Curran also speaks highly of batting with Brad Evans, saying Evans deserves to share the Player of the Match award because he played beautifully and took the pressure off when he himself wasn't striking it as cleanly towards the back end, and Curran gives half the credit to him.

Presentation Time...

A relentless effort rewarded - Zimbabwe will be immensely proud of the way they fought till the very end with the ball. Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans struck early but were made to toil through a long wicketless phase as Tanzid Hasan and Towhid Hridoy wrestled back control. However, Brian Bennett's introduction proved to be the turning point as he broke the crucial partnership, opening the door for the hosts. Wesley Madhevere then removed the dangerous Hridoy to swing the momentum firmly in Zimbabwe's favour, before Richard Ngarava and Muzarabani ripped through the lower order with timely strikes. Sikandar Raza chipped in with a wicket of his own, and fittingly, it was captain Ngarava who sealed a memorable victory with the final breakthrough.

A quick chat - Sikandar Raza says Zimbabwe’s journey really starts from the World Cup and that the team is carrying the momentum forward, with belief being the biggest change in the side. He notes that a year ago they would find themselves in similar positions and let the game slip, but wins have shifted the team culture and now they believe they can win from any situation. On the conditions, he explains that winter wickets in Harare play very differently to summer ones, with 250 being par as moisture stays in the surface and makes the first 25 overs tricky before scoring gets easier. He adds that the wicket feels soft and the ball isn’t coming on, so he tries to build a partnership because that is what the team needs, even if it goes against his natural game, and he is a bit disappointed not to carry on. Raza gives credit to Ben Curran for showing real fight after a tough first game, saying Curran is determined and will do this for Zimbabwe for a long time, and he is also thrilled with how Brad Evans finishes the innings. He concludes by thanking the crowd, saying their songs keep the team going even when the game drifts and the lights come on, and that support goes a long way.

A century and a stunning finish - Earlier in the day, Zimbabwe recovered brilliantly from a shaky start to post a competitive toal. Ben Curran anchored the innings with a sublime, unbeaten 111 - his second ODI century - holding one end firm throughout. He first rebuilt the innings with Sikandar Raza in a crucial 68-run stand before combining with Brad Evans for a blistering, unbroken 99-run partnership. Evans provided the late fireworks with a scintillating 58* off just 38 deliveries, propelling the hosts close to 250. Bangladesh were disciplined for large parts of the innings, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed picking up two wickets apiece, while Rishad Hossain and Nahid Rana chipped in with one each. However, Taskin conceding 22 runs in the final over gave Zimbabwe the late momentum they were desperately searching for.

A captain's fight end in heartbreak - With the pressure mounting, captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz was left with an uphill task and fought a lone battle right till the very end. However, the tail failed to rally around him as Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam all departed for single-digit scores, leaving Bangladesh's hopes hanging by a thread. Mehidy refused to throw in the towel, calmly bringing the equation down to 14 needed off the final 12 deliveries, but with wickets tumbling around him, the pressure eventually told. He became the last man to fall, as Bangladesh were bowled out agonisingly short of the target in a heartbreaking finish.

The recovery before the twist - Bangladesh's chase got off to a shaky start as they lost two early wickets, handing Zimbabwe the early initiative. However, Tanzid Hasan and Towhid Hridoy steadied the innings superbly with a composed 116-run partnership, absorbing the pressure before gradually taking control of the chase. Tanzid brought up a well-crafted fifty and looked set for a match-winning knock before falling for 57. Hridoy then found an able ally in Nurul Hasan, with the duo shifting through the gears and keeping the required rate firmly in check, while Hridoy also reached a deserved half-century. Just when Bangladesh appeared to be cruising, a flurry of reckless dismissals saw Hridoy, Nurul and Mosaddek Hossain depart in quick succession as the visitors stumbled from 169/3 to 176/5, leaving captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz with the responsibility of guiding his side over the line alongside the lower order.

A comeback for the ages - What a finish we have witnessed here in Harare! Zimbabwe have pulled off an incredible escape, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in a game that looked all but lost at one stage. It's a remarkable triumph for the hosts as they seal the series and register back-to-back ODI series wins over Bangladesh on home soil. This Zimbabwe side simply refuses to know when it's beaten, producing yet another spirited comeback to underline their growing belief and resilience. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will be left wondering how they let this one slip. They had one hand firmly on the trophy, but a dramatic collapse and Zimbabwe's relentless fightback turned the game completely on its head.

Nahid Rana walks out last to bat.

14 needed off the last 13 balls.

17 needed off the last 3 overs. The umpire combine to change the ball as it has gone really soft and looks like a ball that has taken a lot of beating as well.

21 needed now off 19 balls.

Shoriful Islam walks out at 10.

26 needed off the last 23 balls.