At lunch break of day three, Bangladesh were batting for 351 for three in 99 overs. Mominul and Mushfiqur added 179 runs in 49.2 overs. Mominul and Mushfqiur were unbeaten for 119 (off 205 balls with 13 fours) and 99 (off 153 balls with 17 fours) respectively. Riding on the fourth wicket stand, Bangladesh’s lead reached 86 with seven wickets in hand.
Right after the lunch break, Mushfiqur took seven balls to reach the ton. Mushfiuqr drove Ainsley Ndlovu to the cover area for a four to complete his ton. It was his seventh Test ton with his last one (219*) coming against the same opponent at the same venue in 2018.
In the prematch press-conference, Mominul had told the media that he is upbeat to hit a big innings in this Test. The left-handed batsman kept his words hitting his first century as the captain of Bangladesh.
200 up between Mominul Haque and .@mushfiqur15 in the 4th wicket partnership#BANvZIM #RiseOfTheTigers pic.twitter.com/163uBCf3qi
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) February 24, 2020
Mominul had hit his last century against West Indies back in 2018 in Chattogram. He played 14 Test innings since then but couldn’t reach a century until now. The southpaw took 156 balls to reach his ninth hundred with 12 fours. He drove Donald Tiripano to the long-off area and completed the century. It was one of finest shots of the innings.
Earlier, Bangladesh ended day two scoring 240 for three replying to Zimbabwe’s first innings of 265. Before Mominul and Mushfiqur, Bangladesh opener Najmul Hossian Shanto also struck a fifty (71), which was his maiden 50-plus score in international cricket.