Bangladesh crush Zimbabwe by innings and 106 runs to square the series

Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 106 runs in Chattogram

Bangladesh produced an emphatic response to their Sylhet setback, dismantling Zimbabwe in the second Test at Chattogram to win by an innings and 106 runs and level the two-match series at 1-1. The decisive moment came when Taijul Islam trapped debutant Vincent Masekesa for a run out — a direct hit at the bowling end that was referred upstairs, with replays confirming Masekesa had no part of his bat behind the crease when the stumps were lit.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz: Player of the Match and Player of the Series

The win was built on an outstanding all-round performance from Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series. Rescuing his side with a brilliant 104-run knock and following it up with a superb five-wicket haul in the second innings, he led Bangladesh to victory in front of a buoyant home crowd.

"I am feeling good. When we lost the first match, we were itching to get back on the field and deliver a win here. The boys were pumped up to win this game and I believe we played as a team," Miraz said after the match.

He credited the tail-enders who held their nerve during his century, and pointed to the influence of senior players in the dressing room. "There are a lot of senior players like Mushfiqur Rahim and Taijul Islam and they have a lot of experience and they always share their experience. Whenever we play as a team, we always do well."

How the Test unfolded

After opting to bat first, Zimbabwe's batters got starts but failed to cash in. From a promising 177/2, the tourists crumbled to 227, losing eight wickets for just 50 runs, with Taijul Islam leading the charge with a brilliant six-wicket haul.

Bangladesh then capitalised on a rock-solid start, Shadman Islam's century laying the foundation. A stutter in the third session of Day 2, triggered by Vincent Masekesa's mini-collapse with the ball, briefly gave Zimbabwe hope heading into Day 3. But Bangladesh began Day 3 with a 64-run lead and just three wickets in hand, with all hopes resting on Mehidy Hasan Miraz — and he delivered when it mattered most.

Rallying with the tail, crucial stands from Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Hasan Mahmud helped Miraz complete a fine century as Bangladesh posted a 217-run lead. For Zimbabwe, five-wicket hauls from debutant Vincent Masekesa stood out, but a lack of support from the rest of the bowling unit and a handful of missed chances in the field dented their efforts.

Skippers react after a hard-fought series

In the chase, Ben Curran and Craig Ervine showed resilience and stitched a steady stand, but once Ervine lost patience and fell, the floodgates opened, allowing Bangladesh to tighten their spin stranglehold and seal the win.

"In the first innings, we knew the wicket was good for batting and we were expected to put up a significant total. We did a lot of things right, with a special effort from Vincent Masekesa, but the concern remained with players getting starts and not making them count," said Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine. "The spinners of Bangladesh were consistent and didn't give away easy runs. We will take a lot of learnings from this series — it's always good to learn while playing."

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hailed a brilliant team performance. "It was a brilliant performance and the whole team did a great job. We need to put in the good work consistently. In the first Test we didn't play good cricket, but we knew we could play better in this one," he said, adding that he was thrilled with the way Shadman Islam and Anamul Haque batted at the top of the order, an area where Bangladesh have struggled in recent times.

Trophy shared, and eyes turn to the road ahead

With Craig Ervine and Najmul Hossain Shanto posing for the customary photographs, the two sides gathered to mark a series that ends with the trophy shared — Zimbabwe's first Test win since 2021 coming in Sylhet on a lively wicket that suited their pacers, and Bangladesh playing to their strengths in Chattogram.

The winter continues for Zimbabwe with a one-off Test in England starting May 22, while Bangladesh travel to Pakistan for a five-match T20I series beginning May 25.