Premier all-rounder Shakib al Hasan was back to his marauding best as Bangladesh romped to their sixth Test win and their third Test series victory after defeating Zimbabwe by 162 runs on the fifth and final day of the second Test at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium yesterday.
Having set the visitors a target of 314 runs in 68 overs, the Tigers cantered to a convincing win, bundling out Zimbabwe for 151 in 51.1 overs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series going into the third Test in Chittagong in four days’ time.
In the process Bangladesh also leapfrogged Zimbabwe in the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings. The Tigers are now ninth in the rankings with Zimbabwe down at the bottom in the 10-team table.
Resuming the final day’s play on 201/5 in their second innings, Bangladesh added 47 runs for the loss of four wickets before skipper Mushfiqur Rahim declared, setting Zimbabwe a target of 314 runs. Before Mushfiq’s call of declaration, Shuvagata Hom reached his maiden Test fifty.
Another five-wicket haul from Shakib, his 14th in Tests and third of the series, ensured Zimbabwe were never in the hunt. With the exception of first-innings centurion Hamilton Masakadza (61), none of the other Zimbabwean batsmen were able to come up with any sort of resistance in the face of some disciplined bowling by the Bangladesh spinners.
Much like the first Test in Dhaka which the hosts won by three wickets, the Bangladesh spinners again accounted for 18 of the 20 wickets to fall, with the trio of Shakib, Taijul Islam and Jubair Hossain scalping all of the 10 Zimbabwean wickets in the second innings.
Hamilton was the only hurdle the Bangladesh bowlers had to face on the final day. The burly right-handed Zimbabwe batsman grabbed his second fifty-plus score of the match but it was too little, too late.
And for the umpteenth time, the day belonged to Shakib. His 5/44 in the second innings, alongside his 5/80 in the first innings, enabled him to register his maiden 10-wicket haul in Tests, only the second instance of a Bangladeshi bowler picking up 10 wickets in a Test. Left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jr is the previous bowler who achieved the feat against the same opponents at home nine years ago.
Having also scored a century in the first innings, Shakib enlisted his name in a distinguished club. He is now the third player in the history of Test cricket to claim 10 wickets and score a hundred in the same match. The two cricketers in the list are none other than former England captain Sir Ian Botham and former Pakistan captain Imran Khan.
Shakib’s first wicket of the final day was that of opener Sikandar Raza (9) who was caught at short-leg. His second dismissal – Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor (0) – came in the first over of the post-lunch session. The left-armer’s three other wickets were bagged in the post-tea session completing a memorable match for the 27-year-old cricketer.
Taijul and Jubair played their part in the victory providing Shakib with valuable support. Taijul, who scalped three wickets in the first innings, replicated his performance in the second innings while Jubair took two wickets.
Masakadza’s 61 only delayed the inevitable and when Shakib dismissed him, Zimbabwe’s hopes of posting a come-from-behind victory were all but dashed.