Bangladesh
Faraz Akram’s 19-ball 34* took Zimbabwe near but not over the line•AFP/Getty Images
A familiar top-order collapse
For the third game in a row, Zimbabwe lost their first four wickets for less than 50 runs. Joylord Gumbie mistimed one to third man in the third over before Tanzim Hasan Sakib had Bennett caught and bowled in the fifth over. Zimbabwe’s powerplay ended with Craig Ervine falling to Saifuddin for seven.
Raza, who made five successive fifties since November 2023, also struggled to find form. He was caught behind by Rishad Hossain for 1 for his fifth consecutive low score.
Akram’s surprise from No. 10
Tadiwanashe Marumani fell for a 26-ball 31 before Clive Madande added 11. Campbell, who struck the ball cleanly in his debut in the last match, struck Tanvir Islam for two consecutive sixes before his attempt for the third in a row found Litton at the deep square-leg boundary.
When Jongwe fell to Rishad in the 15th over, defeat for the visitors seemed imminent, but Akram struck Rishad for two sixes over midwicket later in the over, before he found two more fours off Saifuddin in the 17th over. Taskin then dropped a difficult chance from Masakadza in the 18th over, but he returned strongly to concede just six runs in the penultimate over.
The 20th began with Saifuddin removing Masakadza first ball, but Muzarabani then slammed two consecutive fours. That brought the target down to 13 in three balls, but there was no more heroism left in the Zimbabwe tail. They fell nine short despite an admirable effort.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84