Blessing Muzarabani's nine-wicket match figure and determined batting helped Zimbabwe stun Bangladesh by three wickets in the first match of the two-Test series in Sylhet Wednesday.
Mehedi Hasan Miraz recorded his second five-wicket haul for the game but it was in vain as Zimbabwe's batsmen held their nerve to close out the match despite losing quick wickets.
Zimbabwe chased down the target of 174 by the third session of the fourth day with three wickets in hand, their first win against Bangladesh since 2018, and first against any team in four years, to secure a 1-0 lead.
Brian Bennett racked up his second fifty of the game to lead the chase on a surface that Bangladesh's bowlers failed to exploit early.
Bennett and his opening partner Ben Curran laid a solid foundation with a partnership of 95 runs before Curran fell to Miraz while attempting to play him over long on.
Curran failed to gauge the spin and ended up sending a catch to the mid-off.
Miraz quickly bagged four more wickets, sending tremors through the Zimbabwe camp, while Taijul Islam chipped in with another two.
But Wessly Madhevere (19 not out), Wellington Masakadza (12), and Richard Ngarava (four not out) held their nerve to guide Zimbabwe home.
Bangladesh posted 255 in the second innings, with captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto and wicket-keeper-batter Jaker Ali Anik contributing with a fifty each.
But the failures of batsmen such as Mushfiqur Rahim and Miraz prevented them from setting up a more challenging target.
The Sylhet pitch is known to assist the fast bowlers but, unlike Muzarabani, Bangladesh's pacemen failed to capitalise on the home conditions.
The onus fell on the spin duo of Miraz and Taijul but their efforts were not enough to make the required impact.
Zimbabwe earlier responded with 273 to Bangladesh’s first innings of 191, with Nahid Rana taking three wickets alongside Miraz's five.
An 82-run first-innings lead put Zimbabwe in a commanding position and they went on to record a big win.
It was Zimbabwe's eighth win over Bangladesh in 19 Tests, equalling Bangladesh's number of victories against them.
The second and final Test is in Chittagong from April 28.
1ST TEST, DAY 4
Bangladesh 191 & 255 (Shanto 60, Muzarabani 6/72) lost to Zimbabwe 273 & 174/7 (Bennett 57, Miraz 5/50) by 3 wickets
Toss: Bangladesh
