The hosts Bangladesh clinched their record margin victory in ODI history after beating Zimbabwe in the first game of the three-match ODI series at Sylhet.
On his international cricket return since the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza decided to bat first after winning the toss. While the hosts scored 321/6 (50 overs) in the first innings, Zimbabwe surrendered on 152 runs (39.1 overs).
Bangladesh won this match by 169 runs, and it is their largest ODI victory (by runs). Their previous record margin in this list was 163 runs against Sri Lanka at Dhaka on 19th January 2018.
Zimbabwe batsmen failed to put the fight
Chasing down the big total, only the debutant Wesley Madhevere (35) and Tinotenda Mutombodzi (24) scored 20+ runs in the second innings. From the beginning of that innings, Zimbabwe lost their wickets at regular intervals.
Among the Bangladesh bowlers, Mohammad Saifuddin (3/22) got three wickets while Mashrafe Mortaza (2/35) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (2/33) claimed two wickets each. During that innings, Mashrafe Mortaza became the first Bangladesh ODI captain and fifth overall ODI captain to take 100 wickets.
Liton Das scored an incredible century for Bangladesh
Bangladesh opener Liton Das was the Player of the Match as he scored a solid century. Das first put the 60-run opening partnership with Tamim Iqbal (24). Though the next batsmen Najmul Hossain Shanto (29) and Mushfiqur Rahim (19) didn’t play the big knocks, they provided good partnerships with Liton Das (80 runs partnerships with Shanto for the 2nd wicket and 42 runs partnership with Rahim for the 3rd wicket).
During the third wicket partnership, Das completed his second ODI century in 95 balls. After scoring 123 runs off 105 balls (13 fours and 2 sixes), Das was retired hurt. Just a few balls before his decision to return to the dressing room, Das got a hit on his helmet on Donald Tiripano’s delivery. Though he hit a four and a sixer after that blow, he later decided not to continue his innings. Das didn’t appear in the second innings as Mushfiqur Rahim kept the wicket in the entire second innings.
Then, Mahmudullah and Mohammad Mithun built up the 68 runs partnership for the fourth wicket. While Mahmudullah scored 32 runs, Mithun scored 50 off 41 balls (5 fours and only sixer). At the late of that innings, Mohammad Saifuddin played the firing knock of 28 not out off 15 balls.
Among the Zimbabwe bowlers, only Chris Mpofu (2/68) managed to take more than one wicket.
