In Sylhet, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe emerged victorious in a cricket test match against Bangladesh, securing a three-wicket win on Wednesday. Fast bowler Blessing Muzurabani was instrumental in the win, taking an impressive 6 wickets for 72 runs, while opener Brian Bennet contributed significantly with his knock of 54 runs. Offspinner Mehidy Hasan provided Bangladesh with a glimmer of hope in the fourth day’s play by taking 5 wickets for 50 runs, but Zimbabwe’s batsmen maintained their composure to reach their goal with 174-7, marking their first test victory since 2021.
Bangladesh struggled with their batting, getting all out for 255 runs as they added only 61 runs to their overnight score of 194-4. Muzurabani played a key role in this collapse, achieving the milestone of becoming the joint-fastest Zimbabwean to reach 50 test wickets. Zimbabwe seemed on track for a straightforward victory as they raced to 95 runs without a loss in the 21st over, chasing a target of 174.
Mehidy’s breakthrough came with the dismissal of Ben Curran, who scored 44 runs off 75 deliveries. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed 2 wickets for 70 runs, taking Nick Welch leg-before for 10 runs, which gave Bangladesh a chance to get back into the match. Bennet then solidified Zimbabwe’s position, clipping a full-length delivery from Taijul past mid-wicket to reach his second half-century of the match just before the second session concluded.
However, Mehidy’s continuous efforts bore fruit as he dismissed both Sean Williams and Bennet in consecutive overs, while Taijul managed to take the wicket of Zimbabwe’s captain, Craig Ervine. Despite increasingly challenging conditions as daylight waned, Wessley Madhevere remained unshaken at 19 not out, showing resilience and tact to guide Zimbabwe to their long-awaited victory.
Earlier in the match, Muzurabani’s skillful bowling ensured Zimbabwe had a modest target by capitalizing on Bangladesh’s reckless batting. Bangladesh’s captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, who top-scored with 60 runs for his team, fell victim to a poorly judged pull shot against an outside-off short delivery, which contributed to Bangladesh’s downfall in critical moments.
Just three overs following Shanto’s dismissal, Muzurabani exploited Mehidy Hasan’s struggles, using extra pace and bounce to his advantage. Jaker Ali stood out for Bangladesh with a patient innings, achieving his fourth half-century in as many tests after striking a boundary off Victor Nyauchu towards fine leg. Wellington Masakadza, the left-arm spinner, then took crucial wickets, sending Hasan Mahmud and Khaled Ahmed back to the pavilion in consecutive balls before Muzurabani wrapped up the innings by dismissing Ali, who concluded with a score of 58 runs.