Liton Das (95) and Mahmudullah (54*) guided Bangladesh to recover from 132/6 on Day 1 day of the only Test at the Harare Sports Club, Harare. The pair forged a 138-run stand – the highest for the seventh wicket at this venue – to help Bangladesh finish on 294/8.
Earlier, Blessing Muzarabani (3-48) and Victor Nyauchi (2-69) had Bangladesh in trouble after they opted to bat. Muzarabani unsettled the top-order by dismissing Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (2) and Mushfiqur Rahim (11), but Zimbabwe could not keep the pressure.
Mahmudullah, still in the middle, will play a key role for Bangladesh on Day 2. If he manages to survive Muzarabani’s opening spell with the new ball, Bangladesh can score around 350, or even more. It will be interesting to see how Taskin Ahmed (13 runs in 15 balls) bats against the likes of Muzarabani, Nyauchi, Richard Ngarava (1-36), and Donald Tiripano (2-36), who will come with all guns blazing.
On the other hand, if Zimbabwe wrap Bangladesh up early on Day 2 under 310, the contest may regain the balance. Barring Brendan Taylor and Regis Chakabva, the top six Zimbabwe batters have not played five or more Test matches. In fact, they have two debutants, in Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Dion Myers.
However, Zimbabwe batters put on a horrible show in their 2-0 Test defeat against Pakistan in May. In a total of four innings, they only managed to score over 200 once in that series. The others were 176, 134 and 132.
Hence, the experienced Bangladeshi bowling line-up, led by Shakib and Mehidy, can rattle Zimbabwe in no time. Keeping the slow, low Harare track in mind, if they pile over 350 in the first innings, there may be a chance of enforcing the follow-on.