TAMIM Iqbal’s fastest One Day International (ODI) hundred condemned Zimbabwe to a three-nil series whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh, who won the third ODI by five wickets at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.
Tamim carrying a knee injury that will sideline him for the next ten weeks did not look like an injured batsman as he pelted the Zimbabwe bowlers to all corners of Harare Sports Club.
Chasing 299 for victory on a flat deck, Iqbal and Liton Das set a platform for the team with a quick opening stand of 88 runs from just 83 balls.
Just as Bangladesh looked comfortable at the crease, Das tried to sweep Wessley Madhevere for a boundary but could only manage a top edge that flew to Tadiwanashe Marumani at backward square, where he nearly collided with Donald Tiripano, who also wanted the catch.
Iqbal was joined by another senior statesman, Shakib Al Hasan, and the pair put up a 50 partnership in no time from 59 balls.
The Bangladesh captain got to his first 50 of the series from 46 balls, including four boundaries and two maximums.
Shakib then chased a wide slower ball off Luke Jongwe and could only manage a bottom edge to wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva. Shakib waited for a few seconds before walking back to the changing room, probably disappointed with himself that he missed out on a good batting pitch.
Iqbal continued on his merry way playing his shots and not letting Zimbabwe bowlers settle. Tiripano was severely punished in one over in which he bowled a beamer which beat the keeper and went for four. He was then clobbered for a six off the free hit.
The powerful left-hander who enjoys playing against Zimbabwe got to his fastest ODI 100 from 87 balls. He was eventually dismissed just after the second drinks break by Tiripano when he edged an angled delivery to Chakabva for a simple catch.
Iqbal was dismissed for 112, and at that point, Bangladesh were 204-3 after 34.1 overs and were cruising to a series whitewash. Tiripano struck again the next delivery, and it was another big wicket of Mahmudullah for a golden duck in his 200th ODI.
With that wicket, the Chevrons had a glimmer of hope, and there was a buzz in the field again on Tiripano’s hat-trick ball, but Narul Hasan hit the hat-trick ball for a boundary.
The wicket remained true and proving once again that Zimbabwe were 20-30 runs short again.
Madhevere, who was the pick of Zimbabwe bowlers, got his second wicket a little too late when Mohammad Mithun tried to go big but failed to beat
Chatara at long-off.
Narul and Afif Hossain managed to see their team home with two overs to spare.
Earlier Zimbabwe had put up their best batting effort of the series by scoring 298 runs which were built around Chakabva’s 84 from 91 balls.
The wicketkeeper-batsman was promoted to open the batting with Marumani. He did not disappoint as he took the attack to the Tigers’ bowlers in an innings that included seven fours and a six.
The difference between the two sides throughout the series has been seizing the big moments once a batsman is set. Chakabva missed out on a big hundred after having done all the hard work.
At one point, Zimbabwe looked like they would not get to 298, but a 100 partnership from 74 balls for the sixth wicket between Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl rescued the home side.
Both batsmen scored half-centuries, with Raza getting there first from 49 balls that comprised six fours and one maximum.
Burl, who had played second fiddle to Raza for most of the afternoon, got to his 50 from just 38 balls, including four fours and three maximums.
The pair took a liking towards Saifuddin, whose eight overs went for 87 runs.
However, just as Zimbabwe were threatening to get to the 320 mark, Bangladesh pegged them back by dismissing both Raza and Burl within five deliveries of each other.
It is unforgivable that Zimbabwe did not bat out their 50 overs.
Zimbabwe has none to blame but themselves for not seizing the big moments and, once again, too many batsmen getting starts but not digging in until the end.
The loss condemns Zimbabwe to the bottom of the Cricket Super League with only 10 from a possible 60.
