ZIM vs BAN 1st T20I Commentary - Harare (22 July 2021)

Fuller in length and around off, Naim hammers it off the inner half over mid on for a single.

SIX! Blessing Muzarabani aims for the blockhole but it's a full toss on off, Nurul swings his bat and whips it over square leg for a biggie.

Slower one, bowled on a length outside off, Hasan pushes it off the front put towards covers for one.

Short ball around off, guided nicely wide of third man for a couple. Just the solo run needed now!

FOUR! What a way to end, with a BANG! It's pitched up on off and Naim lofts it over mid off for a boundary to seal the win. BANGLADESH WIN BY 8 WICKETS!

FOUR! Short ball on middle and Hasan pulls it nicely towards deep mid-wicket to start off with a boundary.

Full outside off, driven through covers for a couple.

NO BALL! Follows the batsman and bangs it in short, Hasan misses the pull and is hit on the shoulder. No Ball called for overstepping. Free Hit time!

WIDE! Slower one drifting down leg and Hasan misses the flick. Wided. Free Hit to continue.

Back of a length on middle, pulled powerfully but straight to deep mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Pitched up on middle, Naim moves aside and opens his arms to slog the ball to the deep mid-wicket fence.

Slower ball, bowled full, Naim pushes it back to the bowler who fails to collect and the batsmen scamper through. Unnecessary shy at the stumps results in an extra run.

Length ball outside off, sliced down to backward point for one.

Tossed up on off, Mahmudullah tries to sweep but top edges it down to fine leg for one.

Length ball on middle, Naim shuffles to scoop it but fails to connect.

OUT! RUN OUT! Brilliant yorker on middle, Naim manages to inside edge it down to short fine leg and Mahmudullah calls for a single. Slight hesitation but a direct hit at the keeper's end and the skipper is gone! Sensational bit of fielding by Blessing Muzarabani and no need to go upstairs as the Bangla skipper was well short.

Flatter and outside off, Nurul walks across and scoops it behind the keeper for a run.

Short and on middle, pulled to deep mid-wicket for a single.

On the pads and Nurul helps it to square leg for a single.

Full outside off, Naim reaches out and plays it towards third man for a single. That's FIFTY for Naim. He has batted beautifully today.

Back of a length on middle, Mahmudullah plays it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Wide! Very full outside off, Naim tries to reach out but fails to connect. Given as wide!

Very full and wide again, Naim reaches to dab it towards short third man for one.

That is a cracking pull off the back foot, but for no run.

Backs away to pull the short ball but misses.

Run out chance, missed! Very full and around leg, Mahmudullah digs it out off the inner half to long leg and they go for the third run. The fielder fires in a throw at the keeper's end as Mohammad Naim dives. Regis Chakabva fails to collect the ball.

Flighted and outside off, Mahmudullah drills his drive down to long off for one.

Flatter and shorter on middle, pulled to deep square leg for a single.

Skidding down the leg side, tickled behind square leg for a run.

RUN OUT CHANCE! Missed. A tossed up ball landing full on middle, Naim flicks it to deep square leg and completes a single. He wants the second run also and starts to run for it without looking at his partner. Naim realizes late that Mahmudullah is not interested and has to turn and run. Meanwhile, the throw comes to the bowler's end and Sikandar Raza intervenes before it can reach the bowler. He fumbles too and deflects it away. Naim gets the chance to dive safely inside the crease. Had Sikandar allowed the ball to go to the bowler, it would have been a simple run out chance.

Quicker and fuller outside off, Mahmudullah tries to sweep but misses. They appeal but the impact is outside off.

Short and on off, pulled in front of square leg for a brace. 38 needed off 30 balls.

OUT! Chakabva has pulled off a miraculous run out, Dhoni-esque. Sarkar gets run out while attempting the second run. What an excellent piece of work by the wicketkeeper. Full in length and around off, Sarkar closes the face of his bat and works it through mid-wicket. He rushes back for the second run and the fielder fires a flat throw wide of the stumps at the striker's end. Chakabva runs across to his right, doesn't collect the ball and instead flicks it onto the stumps without looking behind. The appeal is made and it's referred upstairs. The replays find Sarkar short of the crease. Spectacular work by Regis. A fine knock by Soumya nonetheless. 51 needed off 41 balls. 

FOUR! Mahmudullah is immediately on the attack. Charges down the track to a shortish ball and clubs it over the bowler's head for a boundary.

Around off, angling away, Mahmudullah shuffles across to push it on the off side but it takes the inner half and rolls back to the bowler.

Short in length on off, Mahmudullah pulls it over square leg for a run. The skipper is looking in a rush.

Short in length around leg, pulled down to fine leg for one.

Follows the batsman down the leg side with a fuller length ball, Mahmuduall eases it to deep square leg for one. 8 runs and a wicket from it!

Starts his new spell by beating the bat. Shortish and close to off, Naim rocks back to cut but misses.

Terrific delivery, very full and on middle, Naim only manages to dig it out back in the direction of the bowler.

Blessing Muzarabani bowls it short and wide outside off, Naim hangs back to cut but fails to middle his shot properly. It goes off the bottom edge to point.

Short in length and around off, slower in pace, Naim guides it down to third man for a run. 100 up for Bangladesh, 53 needed more.

Swing and a miss! Shortish and wide outside off, a wild swing of the bat from Sarkar but he fails to connect. 

Back of a length ball on off, Sarkar uses the angle of the bowler and dabs it towards short third man for one. Superb over from Blessing Muzarabani but his team needs wickets from him.

Two wides! Fires a full ball down the leg side, SS tries to sweep but misses. The keeper has not collected it cleanly and deflects it to short fine leg. The batsmen cross.

Full and around off, Naim walks forward and drives it down to long off for a run.

FOUR! Too full in length and around off, Sarkar shimmies down the track and smacks it over mid off. The fielder in the deep rushes across to his left but fails to stop the ball. Ends up knocking it outside the rope.

The batsman goes back in his crease and flick it away through mid wicket, for a single.

Short in length and outside off, Naim camps back and edges his square cut towards short third man. The fielder there dives to take the pace off the ball and it rolls towards the fence. By the time, the mop-up is done, the batters take three.

Heaves a full ball down to wide long and takes a single.

Wide! Skidding down the leg side, Naim fails to cash in off his pads.

Forces a full ball back towards the bowler who fails to stop it. The ball travels to long off and the batsmen cross. 14 from this over, 54 needed off 48 balls.

Full in length and wide outside off, Sarkar tries to drive but ends up dragging it off the inner edge. It rolls back to Jongwe.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Good length ball angling down the leg side, Sarkar deflects it neatly past short fine leg for a boundary.

A full toss outside off, Sarkar slices his drive through cover-point for a run.

Too full in length on off, Naim drills it back past the bowler to long off for a single.

Short in length and outside off, Sarkar makes room and drags his pull shot over square leg. They take a single.

Slower one but on the shorter side outside off, Naim reaches out and slashes it to deep point for a couple of runs. 9 from the over, 68 needed more!

Flatter around off, driven straight to the cover region.

No Ball! Raza oversteps and it's Free Hit time! The ball was short and pulled towards mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Free Hit comes good for Bangladesh. Flighted ball on middle and Naim lofts it one-handed over the bowler's head past the long on fielder and into the fence.

Flatter delivery on leg stump, Naim just flicks it towards square leg for a single.

Fuller ball on leg stump, Sarkar just nudges it into the vacant space at mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Tossed up on off, pushed back towards the bowler.

Flighted delivery on middle, Sarkar pushes this one down to long on for a single to end the 10th over.

Flatter delivery on leg, flicked to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Tossed up on middle and pushed back to the bowler.

SIX! HUGE HIT! Tossed up delivery and Soumya Sarkar gets to the pitch of the ball and absolutely smashes it back over the bowler's head, almost into the commentary box for a biggie. The ball is lost and the reserve umpire comes out with a box of balls.

Smart batting, just nudges the flatter ball on middle to long on to rotate the strike.

Flatter again on the legs and Naim plays it towards mid-wicket for a single.

A bit short and Sarkar plays this one off the back foot towards square leg for a single.

Slightly tossed up on middle, Naim goes back into his crease and nudges it towards deep mid-wicket for a single. Fifty partnership comes up!

Flatter and straighter, Sarkar defends it off the front foot.

FOUR! CLASS! Wesley tosses this one on off and Soumya Sarkar plays a lofted cover drive with the spin wide off long off and into the fence.

Slight mix-up! Sarkar flicks the ball on the pads to short fine leg but a call of yes and no creates confusion. No run was taken in the end.

A shorter one and Sarkar punches it off the back foot on the leg side for one.

Flighted ball on middle, driven nicely to long on by Naim for a single to end the over.

Slightly tossed up on middle, Sarkar nudges it towards deep mid-wicket for one.

Shorter one this time on off, Naim punches it off the back foot down to long off for one.

Tossed up again and Sarkar once again plays it with soft hands towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Shorter one around off and pushed off the back foot towards the cover region for one.

Flatter this time and Sarkar pushes it onto the on side for another single.

Back of a length on middle, Naim rocks back and plays it down to long on for a single to end. Six singles from that over.

A full toss outside off, Naim drags it off the inner half and it runs wide of mid on for a couple of runs.

IN THE AIR! Short ball just outside off, Naim slashes hard at it but top edges it over cover-point. Tarisai Musakanda runs back from the ring and what an effort, just couldn't reach the ball with a dive. The batsmen get a single and Tarisai has hurt himself a bit. The replays showed that as he went down his head hit the ground. But he's fine.

Good pacy bouncer around off, beats Sarkar for pace as he misses the pull.

Back of a length and pushed to the cover region.

FOUR! DISPATCHED! Slower length ball on middle and Sarkar just picks it up and hammers it towards the mid-wicket fence and into the boundary.

Slower ball, back of a length. Sarkar pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for one to end the over. 43/0 in the Powerplay, Zimbabwe were 50/1 at this stage.

SIX! This is a crunching shot! Good length delivery on middle, Sarkar picks the length early and muscles it all the way over mid-wicket for a biggie. Bangladesh dropping into different gear now. 18 runs in the last 5 balls.

Fuller in length and on off, Sarkar bends his back knee as he leans into the drive but fails to beat the cover fielder.

Almost drags it on. Luke Jongwe angles across a length ball on off, Sarkar tries to defend but gets an inside edge. It beats the stumps and goes to short fine leg for a run.

FOUR! Bang! After a sedate start, Bangladesh have started to find the boundaries at a quick rate. A length delivery on middle and leg, angling down, Naim picks it up off his pads and whips it behind square leg for a boundary.

Jongwe comes from 'round the wicket and delivers a full ball outside off, Naim drives it to cover-point for a run.

Play and a miss to end an expensive over, 12 runs from it! This one is served on a length and just outside off, Sarkar moves back to make room but then ends up reaching out for the delivery. Fails to do that and gets beaten.

No ball called for overstepping! Richard Ngarava starts with a short delivery wide outside off, Naim flashes and misses. Hang on a second, the replays show that it was not a no ball and the bowler is really unlucky to be called out. Free Hit coming up...

Naim fails to make any use of the Free Hit! Short again, outside off and zipping off the surface, Naim tries to cut but misses.

Back of a length ball on off, punched to the off side but again not in the gap.

Wide! Short and wide outside off, Naim tries to play the upper cut but misses. 

FOUR! Naim finally gets one from the middle of his bat and his placement too is excellent. Short in length and outside off, Naim steers it through the gap at point and the ball races away. Three fielders were interested initially but they soon gave up. The first boundary of the chase comes in the fourth over.

Swing and a miss! Short in length and outside off, shaping away, Naim tries to pull but fails to connect.

FOUR! A lovely back foot punch. Short in length and outside off, Naim crunches it off his back foot through cover-point for a boundary.

FOUR! Blazed away! Make it three boundaries in the over and Bangladesh are stepping on the gas. Richard Ngarava still tries his luck with a short and wide delivery, it's outside off and Naim cracks it past the right side of the backward point fielder for a boundary. 14 from the over!

Play and a miss! Short in length and wide outside off, zipping away, Naim hangs back to cut but it bounces over the bat.

Goes very full and outside off, Naim reaches out for it and digs it out to covers for one.

Miscued completely! Short in length and on off, some extra bounce there as Sarkar tries to play the pull shot. He is a touch late and it goes off the bottom half past his partner at the other end.

Good work done by the point fielder. Short and wide outside off, Sarkar slaps it square of the wicket on the off side but fails to beat the fielder.

Blessing goes short again, outside off, Sarkar whacks it through the line but finds the cover fielder on this occasion.

Terrific start from Zimbabwe, only 9 runs in the first three overs. Short and wide outside off, SS cuts but finds point. A tidy over but Blessing Muzarabani was lucky too as a few bad balls were not put away in the gap.

Flatter delivery and on middle, it's defended on the leg side to mid-wicket.

Shortish and on off, Naim moves back and forces it to long on for a run.

Loopy and full on off, Sarkar gets forward and pushes it back to the bowler.

Quicker one, full and on middle, Sarkar whips it to deep mid-wicket where Tadiwanashe Marumani tries to attack the ball but fumbles. The batsmen take the second run.

Beaten! Skidding away from the batsman outside off, Sarkar tries to be cut with his late cut but misses.

Fires it in flat, around off, Sarkar tries to be innovative with his reverse sweep but fails to connect. 8 coming off the first two overs.

Starts with a back of a length ball outside off, Naim stays back and runs it down to third man for a run. Bangladesh are away!

Shortish and close to off, cramping the batsman for room, Sarkar tries to play late but gets a bottom edge. It rolls in front of wide first slip.

Back of a length ball on middle, shaping in with extra bounce, Sarkar works it towards square leg for a run. 

Angling down the leg side, it's eased behind square leg for a single.

Run out chance missed! Short in length and on off, Sarkar rocks back to punch it in the direction of mid off and sets off for a run. But Tadiwanashe Marumani shows great awareness from extra cover as he moves across to his left and stops the ball with a dive. The fielder loses his balance and hence his back flick has not much power and it rolls towards the bowler's end. Sarkar survives. A better throw and he was gone for all money.

Taps a length ball towards point and pinches a single. 5 from the opening over!