By
Ashley Dube & Takudzwa Hillary Chiwanza
Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh for the first
time in nine years in a One Day International (ODI) bilateral series as they
took the three match series two matches to one; one may hazard to christen this
historic win a ‘sweet, deserved victory’.
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| Sikandar Raza and Regis Chakabva celebrating their centuries in the 2nd ODI in Harare. Pic/Zim Cricket on Twitter. |
The Chevrons cruised to two relative tough chases as they won the first two ODI matches by 5 wickets respectively.
The Zimbabwe men’s national cricket
team – enjoying a resurgence of exciting cricket – were denied a whitewash in
the third ODI as their batting order capitulated swiftly; they were bowled out
for 151, losing the match losing by 105 runs.
Sikandar Raza’s rich vein of form
continued as he scored back-to-back unbeaten hundreds (1st and 2nd
ODIs) as he led the Chevrons to two of their highest successful run-chases.
He got ample assistance from Innocent
Kaia in the first ODI in a 192 run stand for the fourth wicket. Kaia scored his
maiden international hundred in the process before he holed out on 110.
In the first match, Zimbabwe “pulled
off a wonderful five-wicket victory” as they chased down a gigantic score of
303 (for the loss of two wickets) posted by Bangladesh – Litton Das top-scored
with 81 for the visitors. Zimbabwe’s response was a spirited, composed, and
confident one as Raza scored an unbeaten 135, and Kaia 110, surpassing the
target (307 runs for the loss of five wickets) in 48.2 overs.
In the second match, stand-in captain
Regis Chakabva stepped up with a maiden century of his own scoring 102. His
century was a bold statement of intent regarding his batting capabilities,
which of late some sections of cricket fans and critics had come to doubt (he
scored 2 runs in the first match).
Speaking to the press, Chakabva had
said that he never felt as if he had been out of form – with Zimbabwe’s batting
coach Lance Klusener saying that Regis Chakabva is a talented batsman with
loads of potential.
And in the 2nd ODI, he gave
the Bangladeshi bowlers a torrid time as he marched on his way to his debut
century; which also made history – Chakabva’s hundred came in 73 balls, which
was the fastest by a Zimbabwean batsman in One Day Internationals (two sixes
and ten fours).
In the second ODI, with an electric
atmosphere at Harare Sports Club as fans rallied behind the Chevrons, both Chakabva and Raza (117 not out) scored centuries, putting up
a combined 201 run stand (as Zimbabwe chased 290), the highest for the fifth
wicket for Zimbabwe.
The solidly magnificent partnership
between Sikandar and Chakabva was an attestation of the positive turn in mentality
that Zimbabwe’s cricket team has exuded in the T20 and ODI series versus
Bangladesh. It was a splendid cricket performance – a “stunning run
chase” as they clinched the series.
After Chakabva capitulated to a Hasan
Miraz delivery for a mammoth 102 as he aimed for a big hit that was caught by
Tamim Iqbal at midwicket, Tony Munyonga stepped in to steady the ship and help
lead the Chevrons towards a victory that lurked on the horizon; only 41 runs
were left to win. Raza knew he had to finish the team’s innings and lead the
Chevrons to victory.
It was Munyonga’s debut ODI for
Zimbabwe, “a man of good temperament and technique” but without the experience
of batting at such a huge national and global stage.
And although a bit of nerves and
“outrageous luck” were palpable for the batsman (he was dropped twice by
Bangladeshi fielders), he ultimately mustered his composure and together with Raza
led Zimbabwe to a five wicket victory with 15 balls remaining in the 2nd
ODI. Munyonga scored 30 not out off 16 balls (with two sixes and two fours).
In the 2nd ODI Raza made
figures of 3-56. And Wessly Madhevere made 2-40.
By winning the first two matches,
Zimbabwe had won the three-match ODI series.
Raza has been different class from the
qualifiers, scoring 607 runs across the T20 and ODI formats at an outstanding
average of 101.16; and in this he registered two centuries and four fifties
coupled with twelve wickets, with best figures of 4-8 against the Netherlands
in the final of the T20 Qualifier in Bulawayo.
He was named man for the series for the
third time in consecutive series. In addition, he has surged to fourth in the
ODI rankings for all-rounders, which is in turn a career best.
Bangladesh’s tour to Zimbabwe has shown
the cricketing world a buoyant and resilient Sikandar Raza who is enjoying the
finest form of his expansive and illustrious cricket career.
Raza’s current impressive form clearly
makes him the man-of-the-moment in ICC’s realm of professional cricket; and he
has been a delight to Zimbabwe cricket’s fans.
A huge concern coming into the series
was the strength of the bowling department following injuries to Blessing Muzarabani
and Tendai Chatara.
The pace bowling of quintet of Lance
Chivanga, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Luke Jongwe and Brad Evans allayed
those fears as they all bowled brilliantly during the ODI series against
Bangladesh. Luke Jongwe has vindicated his position in the team – he made 2/38
in the final ODI.
For Nyauchi and Evans, they were making
their debuts in the One Day format. Improvements were hugely noted especially
in the death overs, as the bowlers continue to work on their variations. Brad
Evans registered figures of 2/53 in the final ODI.
The death overs were littered with
slower balls, yorkers and wide yorkers as the Bangladeshi batsmen struggled to
accelerate. On the overall, the bowling and batting departments showed exciting
displays of cricketing brilliance.
Notwithstanding this, the Chevrons’ batting
top order struggled throughout the series, failing to lay concrete foundations
as they had to often to rely on Sikandar Raza’s rescuing acts.
In the first match, Musakanda and
Chakabva departed early with only six runs on the board.
Takudzwanashe Kaitano came in for
Musakanda and went out without troubling the scorers in both of his innings.
It came with little surprise when Raza
was beaten first up by a cracking, superb delivery by Edabot Hossain in the
final ODI – and the relatively modest chase of 256 became a tall order, with tail
enders Richard Ngarava (34 not out), Victor
Nyauchi (26), and Clive Madande (24) ending up as the team’s top scorers.
The import of this is that the opening
slot is very much up for grabs at the moment, and the rumour-mill is linking
Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance with a sensational return to Zimbabwe cricket.
Ed Byrom and pacer Dustin Melton are
also reportedly interested with a return as well.
Zimbabwe were also rocked with a number
of injuries over the course of the series, with up to eight players forced to
sit out.
Outstanding skipper for the series
Regis Chakabva became the latest one to sit out (Chakabva did not play in the 3rd
ODI – captaincy was passed to Sikandar Raza while Clive Madande was the
wicket-keeper).
Hopefully, for the Chevrons, these players will be all back fit for the upcoming series against India, which commences on the 18th of August 2022, and is part of the World Super League series which has a direct impact on qualification prospects to the next 50-Over Cricket World Cup.
It can safely be concluded that Zimbabwe’s cricket has been thoroughly exciting of late and portends good fortunes and memories in the near and far future.
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