Riding on Soumya Sarkar’s all-round performance, Bangladesh A bounced back to level the three-match one-day series 1-1 after defeating Zimbabwe A in the second game by six wickets according to the Duckworth/Lewis method at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah yesterday.
Zimbabwe A batted first after winning the toss and were restricted to 163 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 50 overs. With the exception of captain Vusimuzi Sibanda (74), no other Zimbabwe A batsman was able to spend quality time in the middle. With wickets tumbling at regular intervals, the only resistance was put up by the seventh-wicket pair of Sibanda and Tawanda Mupariwa (19) as they added 47 runs.
Spinners Elias Sunny and Jubair Hossain led the bowling attack for the home side picking up two wickets each while the military medium-pace of Soumya also yielded two wickets.
In pursuit of a modest target which was later revised due to rain, the Bangladesh openers - Soumya (86) and Liton Kumar (29) - gave their side a solid start to the chase posting 80 runs.
The quick dismissals of Bangladesh A skipper Marshal Ayub (two) and Mominul Haque (three) threatened to rock their chase but middle-order batsmen Naeem Islam (13 not out) and Mosaddek Hossain (11) ensured no further hiccups. Tafadzwa Kamungozi and Wellington Masakadza scalped two wickets apiece for Zimbabwe A.
The two second-string national sides will lock horns in the third and final one-dayer today at the same venue.