Tigers scramble home after Waller storm

The difference between Bangladesh's confidence in the ODI and T20I formats was evident in Mirpur yesterday. While the hosts managed to scramble past Zimbabwe's total of 131 at the end of the first T20I, it was their lack of planning in the batting department that seemed to garner more attention.

To their credit the Zimbabweans bowled a tight line and length, especially Graeme Cremer who outfoxed three Bangladesh batsmen with some well-flighted turners.

However, the Tigers did seem the least bit synchronised with the bat. It was a performance which seemed especially dismal considering that Malcolm Waller had scored an effortless 68 off 31 deliveries in the first innings.

Playing his first international match since the World Cup, Anamul Haque received an unfortunate welcome as he was run-out in the very first over.

The batters who arrived immediately afterwards seemed to have just one focus -- smack boundaries. And a majority of the wickets fell exactly because of that.

Sabbir Rahman seemed to gear up for a boundary before almost every delivery. While he did get a few, he ended up scoring just 18 off 16 deliveries before getting caught attempting another big hit.

Mushfiqur Rahim skied a short Cremer delivery just five balls in. Cremer came back in the next over to trap both Nasir Hossain and Tamim Iqbal in front of the wicket.

At 80 for 5, the Tigers were staring down the barrel and needed a change in approach.

Liton Das arrived next and together with Mahmudullah shared a cautious 38-run stand for the sixth wicket. By the time Liton was sent back in the 16th over, the hosts were on the brink of victory.

Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza came in next smacked two fours and a six and ensured that there were no further hiccups.

Earlier, after being put into bat, Zimbabwe were struggling at 39 for 4 after nine overs. It was only after Waller arrived at the crease in the 10th over that their innings received some much-needed momentum.

Their key batsmen -- Sikandar Raza, Elton Chigumbura and Sean Williams -- departed early and there seemed to be no respite in sight.

However, the momentum shifted when Mashrafe brought debutant Jubair Hossain to the fore.

The leg-spinner made a nervous start and got smacked for 17 runs in over number 10, which saw Waller launch two sixes. That over brought Waller into his groove and he dispatched Nasir for 20 in the next over and eventually brought up his 50 off just 20 balls.

Between overs nine and fourteen Zimbabwe scored 66 runs, most of which came off the bat of Waller. He alone hit five sixes and four 4s during that period.

The tides once again turned as Mahmudullah bowled a wicket-maiden in the 15th over and calmed the Bangladesh dressing room.

Jubair came back and scalped two wickets in the 16th over and made amends for his disastrous start. Waller was eventually removed for 68 by Mustafizur Rahman in the 18th over and Zimbabwe's acceleration stopped right there.