Rampant Zimbabwe defeated hapless Bangladesh by seven wickets on Sunday to win the second one-day international with Brian Vitori taking five wickets and Vusi Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu both hitting half-centuries. The win at Harare Sports Club gave Zimbabwe a 2-0 lead in the five-match series to follow victory in the one-off Test last week.
Bangladesh were bowled out for just 188 in 47.3 overs with Zimbabwe replying with 191-3 and 35 balls remaining. “The seamers came up trumps again, Vitori was outstanding,” said Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor. “It made the batters’ job easier. We have won the first game in the past against Bangladesh and then lost the series, so the guys are hungry for more success. We used the morning conditions well and after that it flattened out.”
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hassan admitted his team were at crisis point. “You can say that. In three games we have been outplayed. We all have to put our hands up, it is not only about me or someone else, it is about the team. We have to show the world we are good enough to compete,” he said. “We did not bat well, simple as that. The wicket was a good one, our top order is not getting runs, it is hard for the lower order to come in and score.”
Opening batsman Sibanda top-scored with 67 off 96 balls with seven fours — to follow his 96 in the first game — as he also passed the 2,000 runs mark in one-day internationals. Former skipper Taibu was unbeaten on 61 off 74 balls having hit four boundaries and two sixes. Vitori starred with the ball after Zimbabwe won the toss and he took full advantage of the conditions, finishing with 5-20 to follow his 5-30 in the first match, the 21-year-old seamer’s debut.
Vitori removed Bangladesh openers Tamim Iqbal (three), playing in his 100th ODI, and Imrul Kayes (eight) before the tourists slumped to 58-6 in the 19th over. Captain Shakib Al Hassan (26) and 19-year-old debutant Nasir Hossain (63), who had never previously played a first class match, put on 53 for the seventh wicket.
But Vitori removed Shakib, Hossain and Abdur Razzak (35) to put his team firmly in the driving seat. “I just stuck to the team plans and tried to hit the good areas,” said Vitori. “Every wicket was a bonus for us. It was really just about tying them down, we knew they would crack at some point.”
Zimbabwe lost opener Taylor for just three in the third over with the total on four before Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza, who hit 38 off 51 balls, put on 83 for the second wicket. Sibanda was out, stumped off Mohammad Ashraful, with the total on 146-3 in the 35th over having made his 15th ODI half-century before Taibu made amends for his first match duck with a bright 61 not out.
It was his 19th ODI half-century and he, along with Craig Ervine, saw Zimbabwe home.
