It's Razzak-Shakib show

Bangladesh left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak (C) is ecstatic after having dismissed Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor (L) with a gem of delivery that pitched on the leg stump and turned that much only to dislodge the bail on off stump during the second one-day international at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. Razzak finished with five for 29.Photo: STAR

The Tigers shrugged off the pressure to square the five-match series in style as Shakib Al Hasan slammed his fourth hundred after Abdur Razzak's career best bowling to secure an emphatic seven-wicket victory in the second day-night one-dayer at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
As promised Shakib Al Hasan's men returned to their best against their Southern African opponents after a shocking five-wicket defeat in the first match at the same venue and reestablished the favourite tag in front of cheering crowd at the big bowl.
Razzak's 5-29, the left-arm spinner's second five-for in his 86th appearance, restricted Zimbabwe to 219 in 47.2 overs. Shakib then toyed with the opponent bowlers during his aggressive knock of105 not out that also brought up his 2000th run in 72 matches.
During his unbeaten 69-ball 105 the left-hander smashed 14 boundaries and three sixes as Bangladesh cruised to 221 for 3 in 29.3 overs.
Bangladesh captain reached the three digit figure in magnificent style when he squeezed as wide ball from Justice Chibhabha down to third man after he had brutally punished the same bowler in the previous over by hitting two fours and a six to make sure he got his fourth hundred.
Earlier two southpaw openers Tamim Iqbal and Zunaed Siddiqui set the tune for the chase.
The left-handers went for kill against the new ball bowlers, who gave them a lot of trouble in the first game, as the pair added 44 runs in 3.5 overs before the later offered a return catch to first match hero Elton Chigumbura.
Then the hosts got a light jolt as a result of unnecessary tendency of playing too many shots. Tamim (26) and Mohammad Ashraful (3) paid the prices for that to bring trouble for the team, who were one down in the five-match after losing the first game by five wickets.
At 3 for 53, the responsibility rested on the shoulder of captain Shakib Al Hasan, who recovered from his early edginess to settle he team along with the steady Rokibul Hasan, who played a responsible innings of 39 from 75 deliveries, to safety.
Zimbabwe, for the second successive occasion rightly tossed the coin but this time they decided to bat first as the grass was removed to offer a dry surface for the batters. And it was a perfect start for the visitors to enhance the pressure on the home team.
Stand-in skipper Hamilton Masakadza and Justice Chibhabha made full use of the poor new ball operations of Dollar Mahmud and Nazmul Hossain, who replaced Rubel Hossain in the second game, to make sure that the Tigers chase a fighting target under lights.But the scenario was changed once the local side brought their main weaponsspinnersto the attack and it's made an immediate effect as the two openers suddenly looked clumsy. And it was off-spinner Nayeem Islam who gave the much-needed breakthrough by trapping Masakadza, who scored 34 off 31 balls with five fours and a six, in front to put an end to the 59-run opening stand. Nayeem was however lucky as umpire Enamul Haque responded to his loud appeal though the ball stroked the pad outside the line.
Brendan Taylor joined Chibhabha to revamp the innings but captain Shakib made a timely change bringing in part-time spinner Mohammad Ashraful to break the partnership. Chibhabha (39) was beaten by a straight delivery and dragged his feet from the crease and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim made no mistake to nail the bails.
And the rest job was done by Abdur Razzak who started the carnage by removing Taylor for 21 runs. It was a lovely delivery from the experienced bowler as the ball pitched on the leg stump and knocked the top of off stump and Taylor did not play for the turn and got beaten.
In the same over he got his second success Charles Coventry edged a delivery pitched on the stump and spun across to reach Zunaed Siddiqui at first slip.
Another good partnership between Tatenda Taibu and Stuart Matsikenyeri however was broken by Ashraful when the latter edged to keeper Rahim while Nayeem dismissed the limping Taibu for 38 runs.
Malcom Waller helped Zimbabwe to cross the 200-mark before he was bowled by a lovely delivery from Razzak. The ball pitched on the leg stump and turned to take the off and middle and Waller played down the wrong line but before that the right-hander, who survived twice, hit 40 off 39 balls that featured four boundaries and a six.
Greame Cremer was the fourth victim of Razzak, who completed his second five-for, his best after 5-33 against the same opponents at Bogra in 2006, removing Kyle Jarvis and made sure that the batsmen would chase a reasonable target.
Like the Bangladesh batsmen in the first game, Zimbabwe also failed to capitalize in powerplay and it was first match hero Elton Chigumbura who was frustrated by the lack of runs in the powerplay and decided to take aerial route but only managed a leading edge against Shakib to reach the safe hands of Mahmudullah Riyad at mid-off.