Liton smashes record as Bangladesh whitewash Zimbabwe in ODI series

Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 123 runs in their second one-day international to complete a 3-0 sweep in the three-match series in Sylhet on Friday as Liton Das hammered their highest individual ODI score.

Opener Liton struck 176 off 143 balls to beat the mark set by Tamim Iqbal, who hit an unbeaten 128 on Friday, just three days ago, to guide Bangladesh to 322-3 in 43 overs in the rain-hit match.

Set a revised target of 342 in 43 overs under the DLS method, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 218 in 37.2 overs. Mohammad Saifuddin claimed 4-41 for Bangladesh, with Sikandar Raza making 61.

Earlier, striking 16 fours and eight sixes in his third ODI century and second in the series, Liton overtook the record from his opening partner Tamim, who scored 158 runs only in the previous match of the series.

The match was reduced to 43-over-a-side when rain halted play after 32.2 overs of Bangladesh’s innings, and the opening duo, who were batting on 182 runs during the interruption, added 110 runs before being finally separated.

Liton had his luck to thank for his record innings as he was reprieved in a no-ball on 107 runs and was also dropped on 122 and 144 respectively by Raza and Wesley Madhevere. Carl Mumba finally dismissed Liton as Raza took the catch at long-on to end the record partnership, which surpassed Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad’s 224 runs during the 2017 Champions Trophy against New Zealand in Cardiff.

Mumba later took the wicket of Mahmudullah (three) and debutant Afif Hossain (seven) to finish with 3-69 as Tamim clubbed seven fours and six sixes to stay unbeaten with his 13th ODI century, his second in as many matches.

Liton and Tamim set up the perfect platform for Bangladesh, who have already clinched the series after winning the first two matches, to complete a clean-sweep and give a fitting farewell to their captain Mashrafe Mortaza.

Mashrafe stepped down as the Bangladesh ODI captain on Thursday and was playing his last match in the role, though he kept himself available for selection as a player for future matches.

The two teams will now play in a two-match Twenty20 international series, with the matches scheduled at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on March 9 and 11.

Agencies

Scoreboard

Bangladesh innings
Tamim Iqbal not out    128
Liton Das c Raza b Mumba    176
Mahmudullah Riyad lbw b Mumba    3
Afif Hossain c Williams b Mumba    7
Extras (lb1, w5, nb2)    8
Total (three wickets, 43 overs)    322
Fall of wickets: 1-292 (Liton), 2-312 (Mahmudullah), 3-322 (Afif)
Bowling: Mumba 8-0-69-3 (w2, nb1), Tshuma 6-1-48-0 (w1), Raza 7-0-64-0 (w1, nb1), Madhevere 5-0-29-0, Tiripano 8-0-65-0 (w1), Williams 9-1-46-0

Zimbabwe innings
T Kamunhukamwec c Liton b Mashrafe4
R Chakabva b Taijul Islam    34
B Taylor c Mithun b Saifuddin    14
S Williams b Afif    30
W Madhevere c Mehidy b Saifuddin    42
S Raza c Naim b Saifuddin    61
R Mutumbami run out    0
T Mutombodzi c Naim b Mustafizur    7
D Tiripano b Taijul    15
C Mumba not out    4
Extras (lb1, w6)    7
Total (all out; 37.3 overs)    218
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Kamunhukamwe), 2-28 (Taylor), 3-74 (Williams), 4-113 (Chakabva), 5-150 (Madhevere), 6-164 (Mutumbami) 7-173 (Mutombodzi), 8-202 (Tiripano), 9-218 (Raza), 10-218 (Tshuma)
Bowling: Mashrafe 6-0-47-1 (w1), Saifuddin 6.3-0-41-4 (w4), Mehidy 8-0-47-0 (w1), Mustafizur 6-0-32-1, Afif 2-0-12-1, Taijul 9-0-38-2