ZIM vs BAN

4:15 PM local time (7:45 PM IST): It's 1-all in Bulawayo! We head into the decided then, on Sunday. Let's see how things unfold then and who takes the series. For now, this is the trio of Pradeep, Karthik Raj and Bidipto, taking your leave. Keep following Sportskeeda! 

Towhid Hridoy (Bangladesh captain): "Our players, especially our batters, took responsibility and the partnerships were in place. We wanted a couple of quick wickets, and we did that. As professional players, we have to adjust quickly to the conditions, no matter what. (On Nahid Rana's fitness) Hopefully, we will be ok for the next game." 

Mohammad Saifuddin (Player of the Match, 31* off 10 balls and 1/36 in 4 overs): "My first player of the match performance after a long time, and, we've won. Our bowling attack is doing well, both in the pace and the spin departments. We have managed to adjust to the conditions much better today. We come from much hotter conditions, so it took a bit of time, but the discussion in the meeting has helped." 

Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe captain): "If you look at the first few overs, it definitely turned, and the seamers did make the ball stick. But to be honest, our fielding let us down. Dropping seven catches was not on. That rubbed off on our batting. After their opening partnership, we didn't think we were out of it. The wicket wasn't as easy. But again, it really disappoints if we field like that. Yes the last over hurts, but the fielding, eight catches dropped in all, that doesn't help. Even with 165 we didn't deserve to win." 

MATCH OVER!

Bangladesh won by 34 runs!

Bangladesh 186/5 (20)
Zimbabwe 152/10 (19.4)

Ryan Burl 29 (19) | Sikandar Raza 28 (12)

Rishad Hossain 3.4-0-26-4 | Mahedi Hasan 4-0-24-3

What a cracking performance from Bangladesh as they seal a 34-run victory to level the series. The spinners ran riot combining to take 8 wickets as Zimbabwe were never allowed to get ahead in the chase.

Chasing 187 for victory, Brian Bennett gave Zimbabwe a quick start but they lost Tadiwanashe Marumani in the first over itself off Mahedi Hasan's bowling. Bennett also didn't last long as he was castled by the extra pace of Nahid Rana in the 2nd over as well. Dion Myers also didn't add much to the scorecard as he was bowled neck and crop by Mahedi. Despite those three early wickets, Sikandar Raza counter-attacked to take Zimbabwe to 56/3 at the end of the Powerplay.

However, Rishad Hossain got the massive scalp of Raza in his first over itself as Zimbabwe were handed a hammer blow. The hosts lost half their side in the ninth over with Rishad striking Milton Shumba's wood-work. Mahedi then got rid of Clive Madande for just 1 (4) before Ryan Burl tried to keep his side in the game with some boundaries. In the 14th over, Burl holed out to deep mid-wicket as he became Rishad's third scalp. Then, Nahid Rana walked off the field mid-over which meant Saif Hassan had to fill in. Saif took the opportunity and dismissed Tashinga Musekiwa in his next over. Zimbabwe were out of the game by this point but Brad Evans provided some entertainment before Mohammad Saifuddin got his wicket. In the end, RIshad bowled Blessing Muzarabani to register his best T20I figures and get Bangladesh a comfortable victory.

Earlier in the match, Sikandar Raza pulled off a surprise as he handed over the ball to Brian Bennett to bowl the first over although it didn't provide any positive result. Tanzid Hasan and Saif Hassan went about their batting positively and they had their share of luck with plenty of drop catches as Bangladesh got to 54/0 at the end of the Powerplay. Sikandar Raza tried as many as seven bowling options in the first 10 overs but nothing worked as the opening partnership sailed over 100.The first wicket was finally taken in 15th over by the Zimbabwean captain Raza himself as he castled Saif for 55 to break the 120-run opening stand. Then, Richard Ngarava followed it up a double strike in the next over to help the hosts make a comeback. The Bangladeshi batters continued to struggle with short deliveries as Brad Evans bounced out Parvez Hossain Emon and Nurul Hasan in the 17th over. Just as it seemed like Bangladesh will short of even 170 but Yasir Ali came up with timely boundaries before Saifuddin smacked Evans for 28 runs in the final over to help the side go above 185!

19.4 Rishad Hossain to Blessing Muzarabani, THE OFF-STUMP GOES FOR A WALK! IT'S ALL OVER! Quite full and on off-stump. Muzarabani tried to step out and whack it over wide mid-off. But he failed to make contact. The contact after that, was between the off pole and the ball! Bangladesh level the series.

19.3 Rishad Hossain to Richard Ngarava, AH HA! Full and slow around off. Another lofted shot attempted over mid-on and another miscue goes over cover, for a single here. 

19.2 Rishad Hossain to Richard Ngarava, Oh! Flighted wrong 'un on middle-and-off. The attempted lofted shot over mid-on gets leading-edged over cover point for two. 

19.1 Rishad Hossain to Richard Ngarava, over the wicket, BEATEN! Good length, slow and around middle. The heave across the line from the crease gets missed. The keeper collects it, takes the bails off and asks the umpire to check upstairs. Well, the back foot was lifted for a second, but was grounded on time! 

18.6 Mohammad Saifuddin to Blessing Muzarabani, OH DEAR! Full and straight. Muzarabani tried to swish that from the crease and missed it. He then wanted a leg-bye to point but not Ngarava. However, Bangladesh weren't ready for the occasion and missed out on the run-out! 

18.5 Mohammad Saifuddin to Blessing Muzarabani, over the wicket, short and on the legs. The tuck off the hip to fine-leg gets missed. No leg-bye either.

18.4 Mohammad Saifuddin to Brad Evans, round the stumps, EXCELLENT CATCH BY PARVEZ! Full, slow and outside off. Evans swings it across the line from down on one knee and miscues it. But Parvez, at deep mid-wicket, runs to his left, dives full stretch and completes a sliding take on the full! 

18.3 Mohammad Saifuddin to Richard Ngarava, short and on-pace, around off. Ngarava goes for a flat-batted swat across the line from the bac foot, to long-on, for one.