Can Tigers end on a high note?
Bangladesh will be aiming to rectify the mistakes from their second T20I performance as Mahmudullah Riyad and his troop look to wrap the tour on a high note when they take on Zimbabwe in the series-deciding third and final game in Harare today.
Previously, the Tigers had won the lone Test followed by the three-match ODI series whitewash over the hosts before they faced their first defeat in the tour by 23 runs in the second T20I. A below-par fielding and catching followed by some poor batting display allowed the hosts to successfully defend a modest total of 166 runs.
"I don't think we were complacent. We probably lost the game for not executing our plans. We haven't become a bad side after this defeat. They played well and we didn't take the chances on the field. We have to avoid making these mistakes in the next game," said Mahmudullah after the defeat on Friday.
Bangladesh's batting approach was questioned where the Tigers repeatedly showed the tendency to go after the Zimbabwean bowlers even when they kept losing wickets at regular intervals before being eventually bundled out for 143 runs.
"I am not disappointed with my batting approach. We needed to take risks upfront but were under pressure after losing early wickets upfront. A 30 or 50-run partnership was needed to lay the foundation, and that would have gotten us closer to the target," Mahmudullah added.
Despite the defeat, the silver lining from the second T20I was the performance of Shamim Hossain who showed his big-hitting ability on debut and scored a blistering knock of 29 runs off 13 balls, laced with two sixes and three fours. Another young left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam also maintained his consistency with the ball and bagged five wickets in the two T20Is.
Regarding injury concerns, left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman who is struggling from an ankle injury and wicket-keeper batsman Liton Das, who missed out on the second game due to his thigh injury, are likely to return to the playing eleven today if they recover in time.
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