Zimbabwe 158/2 (18.3) beat Bangladesh 157/6 (20) by 8 wickets with 9 balls left
[Bangladesh won series 4-1]
DHAKA, Bangladesh – Zimbabwe have avoided a series clean sweep by beating Bangladesh by eight wickets in the fifth and final Twenty20 match.
After being sent in on Sunday, Bangladesh made a strong 157-6.
But Brian Bennett’s 70 off 49 balls, with five fours and as many sixes, set the platform of Zimbabwe’s victory with nine balls to spare.
Skipper Sikandar Raza finished with 72 off 46 balls and combined with Bennett for a 75-run stand for the second wicket after Shakib Al Hasan struck early to dismiss Tadiwanashe Marumani for one.
Unlike the past four matches, Zimbabwe was able to resist a top order collapse as Raza and Bennett dealt with Bangladesh’s bowling with a good balance of caution and attack.
Bennett raised his maiden fifty off 36 balls, nudging Mustafizur Rahman to long-on for a single.
Paceman Mohammad Saifuddin had him caught by Rishad Hossain at long-on with a short ball in the 16th over but Zimbabwe were already in control at 113-2.
Raza, who hit six fours and four sixes for his 14th T20 fifty, then expertly led the tourists to victory and deny Bangladesh its first five-match series clean sweep. – AP
