While Zimbabwe scored more than 70 runs in the last five overs, Bangladesh managed to score less than 50 runs there, and it made the difference between the two teams in the first match of the three-match T20I series on Saturday at Harare.

Bangladesh lost the match by 17 runs while chasing a big total of 205 runs. Bangladesh has won a T20I chasing 200 or more just once before.

Wesley Madhevere and Sikandar Raza hit a fifty each to guide the hosts to their huge total. In reply, Bangladesh tumbled to 188 for six in 20 overs and endured a defeat— their 20th T20I defeat in 33 matches in the last two years.

Also read: Bangladesh need 206 to win 1st T20 against Zimbabwe

Liton Das, Anamul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Nurul Hasan Sohan all had secured good starts, but none was able to guide the team to the victory. Except for Anamul, the rest of the others batted at a strike rate of more than 140. But they were bettered by the disciplined bowling by the hosts.

Captain Sohan remained unbeaten on 42 off 26 balls. He hit one four and four sixes.

For Zimbabwe, Luke Jongwe took two wickets. His best over was the 19th over when he conceded only four runs. Bangladesh needed 32 in the last two overs.

Also read: Bangladesh bowl first in T20I series opener

Earlier, Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat first. Zimbabwe lost their first wicket in just 15 runs on the board and another wicket when they were batting at 43 runs.

In the third wicket stand, Madhevere and Sean Williams added 56 runs off just 37 balls. After Williams fell for 33 off 19 balls, Raza joined Madhevere and added 91 runs in 43 balls. Bangladeshi bowlers failed to contain the runs against the host batters.

Mustafizur Rahman, the left-arm seamer, bagged two wickets but conceded 50 runs while Taskin Ahmed failed to grab any wickets but conceded 42 runs. The other pacer, Shoriful Islam, conceded 45 runs but couldn't get any wicket.

Sohan, the wicketkeeper-batter, was leading Bangladesh for the first time in this match. He replaced Mahmudullah Riyad after Bangladesh’s defeat to the West Indies in a recent T20I series. .

The second and third matches of the T20I series will take place on July 31 and August 2. All the matches will be played at the same venue— the Harare Sports Club.