Bangladesh have played 105 international matches against Zimbabwe in the last three decades, including 75 ODIs, 17 Tests, and 13 T20Is. Bangladesh's most international victories (63) have also come against Zimbabwe, including 47 ODIs, 9 T20Is, and 7 Tests. Over the years, we've seen some spectacular encounters between these two countries, and a few of them are worth mentioning. Bangladesh have steadily evolved as a cricketing nation, and they currently hold the dominant position over Zimbabwe. According to recent statistics, they haven't lost a bilateral series against Zimbabwe since 2014. This article highlights the five most memorable matches between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Bangladesh's Five Memorable Victories Against Zimbabwe
There have been a number of exciting cricket matches between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, but picking the best games is always difficult. We've made a list of the five most memorable matches between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
1) 1-Match T20I Series (2006)
Venue: Khulna
Result: Bangladesh won by 43 runs
It was Bangladesh's first-ever T20I match, which thankfully they had won by 43 runs against Zimbabwe. In that perspective, this match was significant in Bangladesh's cricket history because it is the only format in which they win the very first match. MashrafeMortaza played really well in this match. He not only took a key wicket to help defend a decent 166-run total but also played an important 36-run knock with the bat. Left-arm spinner AbdurRazzak had a fantastic game as well, taking three wickets for 17 runs.
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2) 3rd ODI of the Series (2020)
Venue:Sylhet
Result: Bangladesh won by 123 runs (D/L Method)
This match was significant for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it was veteran MahsrafeMortaza's final international match as both captain and player. So, it was an emotional day for both Bangladesh cricket fans and players. We also saw two magnificent innings from the country's best opener Tamim Iqbal, and the elegant Liton Das in this match.The pair had a record-breaking 292-run first-wicket partnership, allowing Bangladesh to defend a huge 322-run total. Tamim stayed undefeated with 128* runs, and Liton played the highest ODI innings (176) for Bangladesh. Team tigers eventually won the contest by 123 runs (D/L Method) and the series 3-0.
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3) 3rd ODI of the Series (2004)
Venue: Harare
Result: Bangladesh won by 8 runs
Bangladesh's first international victory came against Zimbabwe in an ODI series away from home in 2004. It was the third match of a five-match ODI series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The first two matches were called off due to inclement weather.
Despite being the favorite, Zimbabwe lost the match by 8 runs due to a fantastic team effort by the Bangladeshi players. Bangladesh scored 238/7 in their innings, thanks to skipper Habibul Bashar (61), RajinSaleh (57), and Mohammad Ashraful's 51 off 32 balls knock. Later, Tareq Aziz (3), Mushfiqur Rahman (2), and Mohammad Rafiq (2) bowled brilliantly, restricting Zimbabwe to 230/9 in 50 overs. Bangladesh took a lead in a bilateral series for the first time in their cricket history.
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4) 1st Test of the Series (2014)
Venue: Mirpur
Result: Bangladesh won by 3 wickets
It was one of Bangladesh's most closely contested Test matches, which they finally won by three wickets. Bangladesh and Zimbabwe played the first of a three-match Test series at the SBNCS, Mirpur. The match lasted just three days because the surface was strongly suited for spinners and batters had a difficult time dealing with the variations of slower bowlers.
Zimbabwe batted first and scored 240 runs, while Bangladesh earned a 14-run lead after being bowled out for 254 in their first innings. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 114 after setting Bangladesh a 101-run target. Bangladesh had to fight really hard to get those runs, and they eventually reached the target after losing seven wickets. For Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan picked 6 wickets in the first innings, while Taijul Islam bagged 8 wickets in the second innings.
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5) 1st Test of the series (2005)
Venue: Chattogram
Result: Bangladesh won by 226 runs
Bangladesh’s first-ever Test victory came against Zimbabwe back in 2005 at the MA Aziz Stadium, Chattogram. So, it was one of the most historic moments in Bangladesh cricket. Bangladesh batted first and scored 488 runs, while in reply, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 312.
Bangladesh declared their second innings at 204/9d, setting a 381-run target for Zimbabwe. But Zimbabwe were bundled out for only 154 after chasing a huge total. Bangladesh eventually registered their first-ever Test victory by 226 runs. Mohammad Rafique took 5 wickets in the first innings while EnamulHaque took 6 wickets in the second for Bangladesh.
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Bottom Line
The aforementioned matches between these two Test-playing nations are some of the finest in all formats to date, and they have earned a place among the five most memorable matches between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. We hope that the players from both sides will put up even better performances in the forthcoming bilateral series, and we'll be able to witness even more unforgettable matches between these two sides.
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