Toothless Tigers fold meekly in Sylhet

Bangladesh's struggles with the bat in red-ball cricket showed no signs of improvement as they were dismissed for just 191 runs in their first innings of the Sylhet Test against Zimbabwe.

The hosts' decision to bat first after winning the toss seemed justified early on, but yet again, a familiar middle-order collapse left them well short of a competitive total.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to bat first in the opening Test at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The home side fielded a line-up featuring six specialist batters, one all-rounder, and four bowlers. Left out of the playing XI were Jaker  Hasan, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Nayeem Hasan, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Both sides went with three frontline pace bowlers in response to a green-tinged pitch expected to offer early assistance. Zimbabwe's pace trio comprised Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, and Victor Nyauchi. This marks the first Test between the two nations since 2021. In 18 previous encounters, Bangladesh have won eight, Zimbabwe seven, with three draws.

The opening pair of Shadman Islam and Mahmudul Hasan Joy played cautiously to navigate the first eight overs. However, Nyauchi struck in the ninth to remove Shadman, who edged a drive to the slips for 12. Joy followed soon after, edging behind for 14. The pressure mounted early, but Shanto and Mominul Haque responded with a solid 66-run partnership that steadied the innings.

Shanto batted fluently, scoring 40 off 69 balls with six boundaries before falling to a short ball from Muzarabani, mistiming it to backward point. His dismissal triggered a collapse, with Bangladesh losing three wickets for just 14 runs. Mushfiqur Rahim, who followed, attempted an aggressive stroke against Wellington Masakadza and was caught at midwicket for 4. Mominul, who had reached a composed fifty, misjudged a lofted shot and was dismissed for 56 after a 105-ball innings featuring eight fours and one six.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz was next to fall, gloving a short ball from Muzarabani to the keeper for 1. From a promising 98 for 2, Bangladesh stumbled to 154 for 7 by tea. Masakadza was the chief architect of the collapse with 3 for 21, supported by Muzarabani with 3 for 50, while Nyauchi and Wesley Madhevere claimed two wickets each.

Post-tea, a 41-run stand between Jaker  Ali and Hasan Mahmud offered brief resistance. But Muzarabani returned to bowl Hasan for 19, and Jaker  was soon dismissed for 28 by Madhevere. In the same over, Nahid Rana was bowled, ending the innings at 191.

This marks the sixth time in Bangladesh's last eight home Test innings that they've been dismissed for under 200. Poor shot selection and lapses in focus continue to haunt the top and middle order, undermining any early promise shown during the day.

Zimbabwe ended the day in total control, reaching 67 without loss in 14.1 overs before bad light brought an early end to play in the final session. Openers Ben Curran and Brian Bennett looked composed and confident at the crease, putting together a steady, unbeaten partnership that left Bangladesh's bowlers searching for answers. The fifty came up within 11 overs, with little threat posed by the hosts. Despite several bowling changes, including spells from Khaled Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, no breakthrough came. Zimbabwe capitalised on the lack of discipline, with nine of their first 27 runs coming through extras. As the light faded in Sylhet, Zimbabwe closed the day trailing by 124 runs but firmly in control of the match.