Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday congratulated the Bangladesh cricket team for their ODI series win against the hosts Zimbabwe. In a congratulatory message, the prime minister greeted the players, coaches and officials of the national cricket team. Also read: Shakib shines in Tigers series win against Zimbabwe Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by three wickets today to win the three-match ODI series with a match to spare.

Bangladesh will take on Zimbabwe on Sunday in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Harare Sports Club. After a 155-run victory in the series opener, Bangladesh are targeting a series win in the second match, in which Mustafizur Rahman is unlikely to play due to an injury. Read: Mustafiz uncertain in Zimbabwe series opener "We had a tough game in the series opener," Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal told the media Saturday. "Liton played superbly in the first match; Afif's innings was crucial. Miraz also batted well. We always ask the young guys to step forward and win games for the team." Bangladesh had lost four wickets in 74 runs in the first match, but Liton Das stood tall at the other end of the wicket and guided the team to 276 runs. He perished on 102 runs, which earned him the player of the match award. "Had not Liton and Afif played that innings, we could not have scored more than 270. I believe these contributions make the difference," he added. Read: Shakib, Mustafiz join national team ahead of SL series Along with Mustafiz, Tamim has also been suffering from an injury he sustained during the Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League last month. "I took a bit of risk to play this series, and Mustafiz is still not fully fit – his chance is 50-50 for this match. Liton also has niggles, but he will be available for the second ODI," Tamim said. These three matches are part of the World Cup Super League; the top seven teams of it, and the hosts India, will qualify for the World Cup 2023 directly. Read:14-day quarantine must for Shakib, Mustafizur Tamim had earlier said they were looking forward to winning all matches of this series to secure 30 points for the Super League.

Left-handed openers Shadman Islam smashed his maiden ton in the one-off Harare Test against Zimbabwe on Saturday. Najmul Hossain Shanto also picked up his second Test hundred. Riding on their wonderful batting display, Bangladesh secured a lead of 476 runs. Read: Five-for in overseas Test will boost my confidence: Mehidy Zimbabwe will now have to score 477 to win this match in with a full one day and one session plus some overs remaining in this match.  Read: Breach of Code of Conduct: Taskin and Muzarabani fined Bangladesh declared their second innings on 284 for one in 67.4 overs, with Shadman and Shanto unbeaten on 115 and 117 respectively.  Read: Bangladesh secure huge first-innings lead after Mehidy bags five Shadman needed 180 balls to reach three-figure score in international cricket. He smashed eight fours along the way. While going to 100 from 85, Shanto hit two sixes and reached his hundred in 109 balls.  Bangladesh only lost the wicket of Saif Hasan before declaring on second innings. In the second-wicket stand, they added 196 runs, which is now the third-highest stand in the second wicket for Bangladesh in Tests. Earlier, Zimbabwe tumbled for 276 while replying to Bangladesh’s first innings total of 468, and Bangladesh secured a huge lead of 192 runs.  Mehidy Hasan Miraz bagged five wickets, and Shakib Al Hasan took four.  For Zimbabwe, the debutant Takudzwanashe Kaitano scored 87 which was the highest by any Zimbabwean batsman. Brendan Taylor also hit a fifty for the hosts.  Earlier, Mahmudullah Riyad scored an unbeaten 150 for Bangladesh while Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed and Mominul scored 95, 70 and 75 respectively to post a huge first-innings total despite losing two early wickets.

Bangladesh off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, fresh off a superb afternoon in Harare as Zimbabwe were bowled out, has said that having a five-wicket haul in an overseas Test will surely increase his confidence.  In the ongoing Harare Test against Zimbabwe, Mehidy bagged five wickets conceding 82 runs, which is his second overseas and overall eighth five-for in Tests. His previous five-for in an overseas Test was in 2018 against West Indies.  Read: Bangladesh secure huge first-innings lead after Mehidy bags five “I got a five-for in Test after a long time. It’ll surely boost my confidence. I had got a five-for against West Indies in 2018, and now again I did the same,” Mehidy said over a video message sent by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).  Riding on his bowling performance, Bangladesh secured a huge 191-run lead in the first innings of the Harare Test. At the end of the third day, Bangladesh started their second innings and scored 45 without losing any wicket. “The wicket was slightly slow and flat. So my job as a spinner was so tough. I tried to bowl at the right areas, and contain the run. I wanted their batsmen to make errors and they eventually did it,” Mehidy added.  In reply to Bangladesh’s 468, Zimbabwe lost eight wickets in 51 runs, and they tumbled for 276 runs. Mehidy added that the strategy to contain the runs has helped them a lot to take some quick wickets.

Bangladesh player Taskin Ahmed and Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani have both been fined 15 percent of their match fees for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second day of the one-off Test in Harare, ICC confirmed Friday.  Read: Taskin credits batting success to coach Cook They were found to have breached Article 2.1.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.” In addition to this, one demerit point each has been added to the disciplinary records of the players, both of whom did not have any previous offence in a 24-month period. Read: Mahmudullah, Taskin help Tigers pass 400-run mark The incident occurred in the 85th over of Bangladesh’s first innings on Thursday. After Muzarabani had bowled a delivery to Taskin, the two players moved aggressively towards each other, and contact was made after words were exchanged face to face. Both players admitted the offence and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and ratified by the ICC Cricket Operations department as per the COVID-19 interim playing regulations. There was no need for formal hearings. Read: Tigers post 468 as Mahmudullah, Taskin share second-highest 9th-wicket partnership On-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Langton Rusere, third umpire Iknow Chabi and fourth official Forster Mutizwa levelled the charges. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points. Meanwhile, Bangladesh are leading by 237 runs in this Test at the end of the third day’s game. Bangladesh batted first and posted 468 in the first innings riding on an unbeaten 150 of Mahmudullah Riyad, 95 of Liton Das, 75 of Taskin and 70 of Mominul Haque.  In reply, Zimbabwe tumbled for 276 as Mehidy Hasan Miraz bagged five wickets and Shakib Al Hasan took four. Bangladesh started the second innings and at the end of day three, they were at 45 without losing any wicket.