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Cricket
Follow the highlights and updates of Day 4 action of the 1st Test match between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, right here
Zimbabwe edged past Bangladesh in a gripping four-day Test at Sylhet, sealing their first Test win since 2021 and giving Craig Ervine his maiden victory as captain. The visitors laid the foundation on Day 1, bowling out Bangladesh for just 191 with disciplined pace bowling. Zimbabwe’s reply was shaky, but vital late-order runs from Ngarava and Muzarabani gave them a slender lead.
Day 3 saw Blessing Muzarabani dismantle the hosts with a sensational 6-wicket haul, restricting Bangladesh to 255 and setting Zimbabwe a target of 174. Openers Curran and Bennett launched the chase aggressively on Day 4, but a flurry of wickets brought the match to life. Madhevere held his nerve in the tense finish while Masakadza’s crucial boundary-hitting tilted the game.
The Sylhet pitch kept the contest balanced throughout — aiding pacers while rewarding application from batters. Bangladesh’s pacers failed to replicate Zimbabwe’s control, and Taijul’s off-day proved costly.
Zimbabwe’s thrilling three-wicket win over Bangladesh in Sylhet will now find a special place in their Test cricket history — not just for its dramatic finish, but for the record it shattered. Chasing 174, the visitors completed their highest successful run chase in Test cricket, eclipsing their previous best of 162 set against Pakistan in Peshawar back in 1998.
Zimbabwe have done it — against the odds, under pressure, and in a cauldron that nearly boiled over. In a match that swung like a pendulum, it was the visitors who held their nerve in the final act to script a monumental win in Sylhet. Their three-wicket victory over Bangladesh marks Zimbabwe’s first Test triumph since 2021, and it came with a touch of drama befitting the moment.
At one stage, Zimbabwe looked to be cruising towards the modest target, but a flurry of wickets threatened to unravel their chase. However, it was Madhevere who had the final say, picking the flighted delivery with aplomb and reverse-sweeping it past short third to seal a historic win. A win after a run of 11 winless matches
Zimbabwe began the session firmly in control, but the dismissals of centurion Brian Bennett and senior pro Sean Williams swung momentum back in Bangladesh’s favour. Both breakthroughs came courtesy of the ever-reliable Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who continued his outstanding spell with the ball. With 39 runs still to get and six wickets in hand, the visitors find themselves in a tense scrap. Captain Craig Ervine remains at the crease, now partnered by Milton Shumba, with Madhevere and the tail to follow.
After 36 overs
ZIM are 135/4
Zimbabwe entered the second session in command and have strengthened their grip further, inching closer to a historic victory. The foundation was once again laid by openers Brian Bennett and Ben Curran, whose second consecutive fifty-plus partnership took a significant chunk out of the target. While Curran departed while trying to accelerate, Bennett held firm and now has the experienced Sean Williams for company.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, struggled to make early inroads and gradually lost discipline, conceding regular boundaries during a critical phase. With over 50 runs still required and a deteriorating pitch offering some assistance, the hosts will hope that a couple of quick wickets after tea can reignite their hopes.
ZIM are 117/2 after 28 overs
Zimbabwe’s openers, Brian Bennett and Ben Curran, have once again laid a strong foundation with a steady partnership at the top. However, they will be cautious of a similar slip-up as seen in the first innings, where both fell in quick succession and triggered a middle-order collapse. For Bangladesh, the focus will be squarely on breaking this stand early to seize control of the final innings. Notably, Bennett and Curran have etched their names in Zimbabwe’s Test history, becoming only the fourth opening pair to post fifty-plus partnerships in both innings of a Test match, and the first to achieve this feat since 2011.
After 18 overs
ZIM are 85/0
The second session of Day 4 begins with plenty of intrigue after a gripping opening session that saw Bangladesh bowled out, setting Zimbabwe a target of 174 runs. The visitors negotiated the solitary over before lunch with composure, picking up four runs without losing a wicket. Now needing 170 more, Zimbabwe find themselves slightly ahead in the contest but face a historic challenge — they have never chased more than 162 to win a Test match.
After 3 overs
ZIM are 12/0
Jaker Ali has become the first Bangladeshi cricketer to register half-centuries in each of his first four Test matches.
Zimbabwe struck early, removing three Bangladesh batters in quick succession, but then encountered a stubborn stand between Jaker Ali and Hasan Mahmud of 35 in 91 deliveries. Jaker showed immense trust in his partner, often giving Mahmud most of the strike—even letting him face five balls in an over—but that strategy eventually proved costly. Masakadza broke the partnership by dismissing Mahmud, and Khaled Ahmed was sent back immediately after, which forced Jaker to abandon caution and swing for quick runs, only to fall soon after.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers, especially Muzarabani and Masakadza, deserve credit for maintaining pressure and delivering key breakthroughs. With Bangladesh bowled out and Zimbabwe set a target of 174, the visitors will back themselves despite a pitch that still holds tricks for the bowlers. Rashad will return post-lunch to start the chase.
Zimbabwe seem to have eased their intensity in the field, allowing Jaker Ali to pick up easy singles without much resistance, regardless of the over situation. At the same time, they haven’t managed to apply consistent pressure on Hasan Mahmud either, which has allowed Bangladesh to keep the scoreboard moving steadily. As a result, the partnership between the two batters has grown and provided the hosts with much-needed stability.
After 76 overs
BAN are 242/7
More than half hour of play today and Zimbabwe have already reduced Bangladesh to 219/7 from overnight score of 194/4. Three quick wickets and hosts are already in deep trouble.
Blessing Muzarabani with third five-wicket haul in Test cricket, capping off a sensational spell of pace bowling. The milestone wicket came with a delivery that exemplified his strengths — short of a good length in the off-stump channel, delivered with extra pace and bounce. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, already struggling to adjust to Muzarabani’s zip off the surface, was late on the back-foot response and found himself fending awkwardly at the ball. The extra bounce caught him by surprise, leading to a simple dismissal and handing Muzarabani his well-deserved fifer
Just the second delivery of the day and Muzarabani got the big wicket of Bangladesh skipper and half-centurion from yesterday. A well-executed short ball outside off and Shanto, looking to be aggressive, committed too early to the swivel pull and ended up closing the face of the bat too soon. The result was an awkward leading edge that ballooned towards widish deep fine leg. The fielder there had plenty of ground to cover but showed tremendous athleticism, sprinting in and diving forward to complete a brilliant catch.
After 58 overs
BAN are 198/5
Good news from the ground — the players are out warming up, and the match is set to begin at 10:30 am IST (11:00 am) Local. The revised schedule for the day includes three sessions of play, with the first session running from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, followed by a lunch break until 1:10 pm. The second session will take place from 1:10 pm to 3:10 pm, before players break for tea. The final session will run from 3:30 pm to 5:15 pm, with stumps scheduled at 5:15 pm.
There was some overnight rain and the ground in Sylhet is still wet. The groundmen are doing their job to start the play as soon as possible. Stay tuned for further updates.
Day 3 saw only 44 overs of play due to rain. Bangladesh lost three wickets on Day 3 and made 137 runs which helped them to take a 112-run lead in the game. Now, they will be focusing to make that big.
Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali(w), Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Nayeem Hasan, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shadman Islam
Zimbabwe: Ben Curran, Nick Welch, Craig Ervine(c), Brian Bennett, Sean Williams, Wessly Madhevere, Johnathan Campbell, Nyasha Mayavo(w), Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Victor Nyauchi, Trevor Gwandu, Vincent Masekesa, Tafadzwa Tsiga
Zimbabwe: Ben Curran, Nick Welch, Craig Ervine (c), Brian Bennett, Sean Williams, Wessly Madhevere, Nyasha Mayavo (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Victor Nyauchi
Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali (wk), Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana
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