After two frustrating sessions, Taijul Islam lifted Bangladesh with some brilliant bowling late in the day.
From the morning, the Sagarika Stadium baked under intense sunshine. But in the final session, out of nowhere, strong winds began to blow. Dark clouds covered the sky, and gusts of wind overturned umbrellas beyond the boundary. Despite the chaos, play continued — and it felt as if the storm had carried away all of Bangladesh’s frustration. Picking up wickets one after another, Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan left the field with smiles on their faces.
In the first two sessions, Zimbabwe had left Bangladesh’s bowlers and fielders in frustration and built a strong position. But by the end of the day, they lost their way. After eyeing a big total, they are now facing the threat of being bowled out cheaply.
At stumps on the first day at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Cricket Stadium, Zimbabwe were 227 for 9.
Zimbabwe were cruising at 161 for 2 at tea but lost 7 wickets for just 66 runs in 24 overs during the final session.
The hero of the last session — and indeed the day — was Taijul. With superb bowling, the experienced left-arm spinner took 5 wickets for 60 runs. It marked his 16th five-wicket haul in 53 Tests. On his return to the Test XI, Nayeem Hasan also bowled impressively.
After losing the toss and fielding first, the hosts had a frustrating start. On just the second ball of the innings, Hasan Mahmud produced a beauty that almost bowled Brian Bennett. In the next over, Tanzim Hasan Sakib induced an edge, but Bennett earned a boundary.
After surviving those early nervy moments, Bennett settled in nicely. His opening partner, Ben Curran, also looked composed. Together, they scored at more than four an over in the first ten overs.
In the eighth over, Shadman Islam dropped a simple catch at slip off Mehidy Hasan Miraz, giving Curran a life. Shadman had also missed an easy chance at slip in the Sylhet Test.
Tanzim later broke the opening stand with a sharp, bouncy delivery that had Bennett (21 off 33 balls) caught behind.
At No. 3, Nick Welch began aggressively, pulling Tanzim for a six and four in the same over. Welch and Curran also hit sixes off consecutive overs from Miraz.
However, Curran (21) dragged a short ball from Taijul back onto his stumps.
Then came the crucial partnership between Welch and Sean Williams. Bangladesh’s bowlers couldn’t break their bond in the first two sessions.
Zimbabwe were 89 for 2 at lunch. Early in the second session, a chance emerged when Williams played a ball from Taijul to the leg side and went for a quick run. Welch hesitated, and both batters ended up at the same end. Shadman threw the ball to the keeper’s end, but Jaker Ali couldn’t gather it properly. Despite stumbling while running, Williams made it back safely.
Welch, initially brisk, slowed down significantly. After scoring 22 off 29 balls, it took him 107 balls to reach his half-century — his second in just his third Test.
Williams also reached his fifty, off 114 balls. Zimbabwe added 72 runs without losing a wicket in the second session. However, the extreme heat forced both batters to seek treatment for cramps multiple times.
After the tea break, Welch faced just one ball before cramps forced him off the field, ending a 90-run stand (off 230 balls).
Soon after, strong winds swept across the ground. Perhaps it disrupted the batters’ concentration. Nayeem lured Craig Ervine (5) into edging a ball outside off-stump, resulting in a catch behind.
In his next over, Nayeem struck again — Williams attempted a sweep off a leg-stump delivery and was brilliantly caught at backward square leg by a diving Tanzim. Williams made 66 off 167 balls, hitting seven fours and one six.
The rest of the day belonged to Taijul.
Before taking the second new ball, he found sharp turn to have Wessly Madhevere caught behind. With the new ball, Taijul conceded a six to Wellington Masakadza, but immediately trapped him lbw the next ball. Then, he bowled Richard Ngarava with a peach of a delivery the very next ball — two wickets in two balls.
Zimbabwe, having lost 3 wickets for just 6 runs, found themselves in deep trouble. Their woes deepened when debutant Vincent Masekesa was run out soon after.
After the fall of the eighth wicket, Welch returned to bat but lasted just a couple of deliveries before being bowled by Taijul while attempting a slog. It completed Taijul’s five-wicket haul.
Tafadzwa Tsiga and Blessing Muzarabani survived the final five overs without further damage. They will resume batting on Day 2 with an unbeaten 10-run stand.
Brief Scorecard
Zimbabwe 1st Innings: 227/9 in 90 overs (Brian Bennett 21, Ben Curran 21, Nick Welch 54, Sean Williams 67, Craig Ervine 5, Wessly Madhevere 15, Tafadzwa Tsiga 18*, Wellington Masakadza 6, Richard Ngarava 0, Vincent Masekesa 8, Blessing Muzarabani 2*; Hasan Mahmud 10-3-24-0, Tanzim Hasan Sakib 10-0-49-1, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 21-7-44-0, Taijul Islam 27-6-60-5, Nayeem Hasan 20-9-42-2, Mominul Haque 2-0-2-0)
