Marauding Masakadza levels series

A record 93 by Hamilton Masakadza helped Zimbabwe complete a brilliant comeback to level the four-match series as they beat Bangladesh by 18 runs in the final T20I at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday.

Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura, who led the side in 80 limited-overs games across two stints, stepped down as captain from all forms after the match.

For Bangladesh, the defeat further highlighted their weakness in the batting department in this format of the game; and considering that this was a stronger Bangladesh outfit -- Taskin Ahmed, Tamim Iqbal and Arafat Sunny all played in this game -- the defeat must have caused a lot more pain for the hosts.

None of the Tigers' top-order batsmen managed to make the most of their starts in this series and it was an aspect that contributed heavily to their unsuccessful chases in the last two games.

Having been set a target of 181, the hosts stumbled to 17 for four within three overs. While the Zimbabweans did do well to stick to a particular line and length, they were aided by some horrible shot selection from the Bangladesh batsmen.

None of the top-order batsmen managed to absorb the pressure of chasing the target and fell one after the other. Soumya Sarkar chased a wide delivery and nicked it to the keeper, Tamim completely misread a full-length delivery that ambled through his bat and pad while Sabbir Rahman gifted his wicket by straight-driving a full-toss into the hands of long-off.

The experienced Shakib Al Hasan witnessed a similar end when he was bowled attempting to slog a delivery in the third over.

Bangladesh needed a partnership and that came in the form of Mahmudullah Riyad and Nurul Hasan. The duo put on 57 runs for the sixth wicket, Bangladesh's highest stand in that position and helped the hosts revive.

Riyad in particular looked in fine form as he cut deliveries almost at will.

However, once he was bowled in the 16th over for 54 by the excellent Tendai Chisoro, Bangladesh's hopes began to fade.  The tail-enders needed to score 46 runs off the last four overs, a task that proved too steep.

There were a few lusty hits from Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Abu Haider towards the end, but all that went in vain as the hosts were bundled out for 162 in 19 overs.

Earlier Hamilton Masakadza broke his own record for the highest individual T20I score by a Zimbabwean when he hammered a 58-ball 93. 

Together with Richmon Mutumbami, Masakadza shared an 80-run stand for the second wicket to help Zimbabwe coast after Mashrafe removed Vusi Sibanda in the fifth ball of the first over.

Masakadza just stood there and delivered. He smacked five sixes and eight fours, and almost all of them were shots taken right out of the textbook. The Zimbabwean did not spare any of the bowlers.

He began by driving Mashrafe for two consecutive fours in the third over and then welcomed Sunny with a massive six over long off in the fourth over.

Taskin Ahmed was brought into the attack to stem the run-flow, but unfortunately for the packed Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, the pacer was given no respect.

He was first smashed over deep mid-wicket for a flat six and then pulled for a boundary in the very next ball. Masakadza reached his half-century off 35 balls in the 12th over, by which time the visitors had raced to 91 for two.

By then Shakib was the only one who had not been on the receiving end of Masakadza's brilliance. That changed in the 14th over when the left-hander's flat deliveries, which were bowled with an intention to stem the runs, were punched and swept over long-off and fine-leg.

He finished his innings by smacking Taskin Ahmed for a colossal six down the ground and remained unbeaten on 93.

He was ably supported by Malcolm Waller's 18-ball 36. Waller smacked three sixes and a four before being castled by an Abu Haider yorker in the 16th over.