And much like the other matches of tour, Bangladesh emerge winners after Zimbabwe seemed to have the upper hand. The hosts must win tomorrow to remain alive in the series, so don't forget to join us for the action in the second T20I. Until then, it's a goodbye and goodnight from our side!
tjrp: "Despite another loss ZIM's future looks a lot better than anticipated a year ago. Mazurabani, Myers and Madhevere promising prospects that showed they can compete at this level"
Here's Mahmudullah, the winning captain: "The situation was like that [to hit from first ball]. We wanted to show intent, and credit goes to our top-order batters. The bowlers also came back nicely after the first ten overs. Last seven or eight games [here] have been won by the chasing team... and we wanted to use our batting depth. The openers used their opportunity well."
Soumya Sarkar is the Player of the Match: "Thanks to God for me having come here. It was a good catch that I took. And when I got the ball, I tried to bowl as the captain wanted. It would have been really good to finish off the game with the bat, though."
Raza, the host captain, will speak first: "We were looking at 170-plus. I think the middle order and the lower-middle order didn't fire. I myself take that responsibility as well. Not batting that last over was criminal. But there were a lot of positives we achieved today. We came out of the powerplay all right [with the ball]... But these are the challenges you take on. Tomorrow hopefully the new ball comes out right."
Time for the post-match presentations.
Tanvir Islam: "Zimbabwe needed only one more bowler who could match Muzarabani's excellence to keep the match on their court."
Sampath pings that with this being Bangladesh's 100th T20I, they have joined Australia and Pakistan to be the only teams to win their 100th match in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
Ankur: "Because Zim doesnt have A team from which they can select replacement. There is dearth of talent in such team! They are a developing team. "
Jezza: "Ngarava was the wrong person to bowl. That over has just cost Zimbabwe the match "
4.04pm And a familiar story unfolds. Bangladesh win by eight wickets with seven balls to go after Zimbabwe were the dominant side for a fair bit of the match. Naim carries hit bat with 63* following a century opening partnership with Soumya, who hit 50 himself. The fact that both Bangladesh wickets were off run-outs pretty much sums up the hosts' bowling - having hardly any threat of picking up a wicket.
1 to win
Naim again tightens his right pad, as Muzarabani waits
Over the wicket to Nurul as well. Mid-off and mid-on inside the circle
Just 11 required from 12 balls. Muzarabani is back, over the wicket
Kapil Baldawa: "Ngarava bowls in PP, goes for a plenty, bowls at death, goes for a plenty. How he keeps getting game after game?"
END OF OVER:18 | 16 Runs | BAN: 142/2 (11 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.88, RRR: 5.50)
- Mohammad Naim59 (48b)
- Nurul Hasan9 (6b)
- Richard Ngarava4-0-46-0
- Wellington Masakadza3-0-20-0
Fine leg back, long-off in
Jisan: "well!!!!! the mighty Bangladesh is showing again how to make an easy match a difficult one by not searching for singles every time"
Ngarava around the wicket. 27 to win off 18
END OF OVER:17 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | BAN: 126/2 (27 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.41, RRR: 9.00)
- Nurul Hasan2 (2b)
- Mohammad Naim52 (45b)
- Wellington Masakadza3-0-20-0
- Luke Jongwe3-0-28-0
Around the wicket
Anyway, here's Nurul
Mahmudullah run out 15 (19m 12b 1x4 0x6) SR: 125.00
31 needed off 24 balls
Simba: "Funny how the Zim worm has been higher for most of the game. Just shows how good Chakabva was, and how spectacularly Zim collapsed again."
END OF OVER:16 | 7 Runs | BAN: 122/1 (31 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 7.62, RRR: 7.75)
- Mahmudullah14 (11b)
- Mohammad Naim51 (42b)
- Luke Jongwe3-0-28-0
- Wellington Masakadza2-0-16-0