Africa 24 Media Photography

Zimbabwe is one of the top cricket-playing nations in Africa and in the World and is a full member of the world cricket governing body, the International Cricket Council  (ICC). The South African nation recently squared off in a One Day International (ODI) series against opponents from the Asian subcontinent, Bangladesh. The electrifying series was held in Zimbabwe’s second largest city, Bulawayo from the 9th to 18th August. Bangladesh won the first ODI by 8 wickets with 93 balls remaining courtesy of a disciplined bowling.

The 2nd ODI was no different but the Zimbabweans offered some resilience and showed some resistance before going down to the Bangla tigers by 49 runs. Zimbabwe’s improving form finally gained fruit when they won the third match by 63 runs but the Bangladeshis took an unassailable 3-1 win in the 4th ODI by wining with four wickets in a superb display of cricket particularly from Zimbabwean player, Charles Coventry. Coventry scored 194 not out, his first century at international stage and a level which also equaled the score set by former Pakistani batsman Saeed Anwar for the highest individual innings in an ODI. However, his individual effort was not enough to halt the surge of the Bangla tigers who won the match and roared to a 4-1 victory over the South Africans in the five One Day International (ODI) series. The win gave the tigers from the Asian subcontinent their third consecutive series win. Zimbabwe looked to have been growing better and better by every match but they had no answers to Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and his charges. In the 5th and final ODI, Zimbabwe won the toss and decided to bat first. However, their improving form was nowhere to be seen; not even on Charles Coventry, who was dismissed for a duck. Zimbabwe’s batting lineup was decimated for 209 all out with 20 balls to spare. In reply, the Bangla tigers fielded Mushfiqur Rahim who was sent to open the batting with Tamim Iqbal and he virtually smashed the bowling left, right and centre. Iqbal was dismissed for four but Rahim remained in the field to smash 11 boundaries in 121 balls and ensured that Bangladeshis romped to a five-wicket win with 13 balls to spare. Brendan Taylor top-scored for Zimbabwe with 61 in 86 balls hitting three boundaries and a six. Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal was declared player of the series.

 View Gallery