Mahmudullah-Taskin swing things Tigers’ way

Bangladesh staged a sensational comeback after being pushed to the back foot by Zimbabwe in the one-off Test match at Harare Sports Club in Harare. The visitors lead by 354 runs in the first innings and the hosts have 9 wickets in hand.

Bangladesh posted a huge total of 468, a total which never seemed reachable when they finished with 294 for eight at the end of day one. 

Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed started the day with overnight scores of 54 and 13. Things got heated multiple times in the first hour of play, especially between Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani and Taskin. Muzarabani tried to unsettle Taskin by bowling some bumpers but Taskin managed to hang in there.

As the session progressed, Taskin's innings gained momentum. The left-handed batter played a number of delightful drives off the fast bowlers with decent control as well as defended solidly.
Mahmudullah also started from where he left off and batted with good intent. The all-rounder, who's playing his first Test match in almost a year and a half, didn't show any signs of nervousness in the nineties. He struck consecutive boundaries to reach his fifth Test hundred. 

Milton Shumba dropped Taskin on 32 at slips and the southpaw made the most of it. After Mahmudullah's century, Taskin notched up his fifty as well. This was Taskin's first fifty in any form of cricket. 

They added 110 in the first session at a rapid rate of 4.58 runs per over.

Mahmudullah and Taskin spent more than one hour without any hiccup in the second session before Shumba got rid of Taskin. His knock of 75 off 134 involved 11 boundaries. Remarkably, Donald Tiripano was on a hat-trick when Taskin came out to bat on day one. 

Taskin's 75 was the highest individual score at number 10 by a Bangladeshi away from home. He added 191 with Mahmudullah, which was the second-highest partnership of all time for the 9th wicket in Tests. 

Ebadot Hossain couldn't survive for long and Bangladesh were all-out for 468. Mahmudullah was undefeated on 150, his highest Test score. This was also the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi batter at number eight or lower.

This was also Bangladesh's highest total in Tests in Zimbabwe. 

Blessing Muzarabani was clearly the best Zimbabwean bowler, picking up a four-wicket haul. Zimbabwe bowlers conceded a lot of extras as well, 39 to be exact.

Zimbabwe made a strong reply, thanks to Kaitano and Milton Shumba who added 61 runs for the opening stand.

The stand was broken after left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan trapped Shumba leg-before for 41.

Zimbabwe finished the day on 114 for the loss of 1 wicket. Debutant Takudzwanashe Kaitano and the stand-in skipper Brendan Taylor remained unbeaten on 33 and 37 respectively.