Tigers seal whitewash in Mashrafe's last match as captain

Bangladesh whitewashed Zimbabwe in the three-match ODI series as the Tigers registered a thumping 123-run victory against the visitors at the Sylhet International Stadium today. It is also a fitting end to Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's reign as the captain of the Bangladesh side as it was the 50th ODI victory for Mashrafe as the skipper.

All the Bangladesh players are now wearing the number 2 jersey with Mashrafe's name on the back and "Thank You Captain" on the front. A great gesture by the Tigers as they bid adieu to the inspirational leader on his last match as the ODI captain.

"It is a great honour. Probably the best honour that I have got on the field. My boys have been fantastic. They have given everything for the team. I'd like to say my thanks to all the boys. Especially to Shakib. If he had been here, it would have been different, but thanks to everybody," Mashrafe acknowldges the effort of the team.    

[Wicket] Over 37.3, Zim 218 all out: CK Tshuma b Mohammad Saifuddin 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

A brilliant inswinging yorker from Mohammad Saifuddin and Tshuma, the tailender, was completely bamboozled as he lost his stumps. That's it. A brilliant 123-run victory for Bangladesh. It is also a cleen sweep for the Tigers in the three-match ODI series. 

[Wicket] Over 37.2 Zim 218/9: Sikandar Raza c Mohammad Naim b Mohammad Saifuddin 61 (50b 5x4 2x6) SR: 122.00

A slower ball from Mohammad Saifuddin and Sikandar Raza tries to go over mid-wicket but it only ends up as far as the fielder. Zimbabwe nine down

[Wicket] Over 34.2, Zim 202/8: DT Tiripano b Taijul Islam 15 (18b 0x4 2x6) SR: 83.33

An angling in delivery from Taijul Islam and Donald Tiripano, the man who had struck a blazing fifty in the second ODI, missed the ball completely as it went onto rattle his stumps. Zimbabwe eight down. 

Fizz removes Mutombodzi

[Wicket] Over 29.3, Zim 173/7: CT Mutombodzi c Mohammad Naim b Mustafizur Rahman 7 (6b 1x4 0x6) SR: 116.66

A typical cutter from Mustafizur Rahman and Mutombodzi hangs his bat out. The right-hander gets an edge and debutant Mohammad Naim at first slip takes a good catch. 

Mutumbami falls to a run-out; Zim six down 

[Wicket] Over 27.5, Zim 164/6: R Mutumbami run out (Mehidy Hasan Miraz) 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Sikandar Raza plays a Mehedi Hasan Miraz delivery towrads mid-wicket and the non-striker Mutumbami started running. He went too far and it was impossible for him to get back as a simple throw to the bowlers end saw Mutumbami being run-out.  

Saifuddin removes Madhevere; Zim five down

[Wicket] Over 26.4, Zim 150/5: W Madhevere c Mehidy Hasan Miraz b Mohammad Saifuddin 42 (42b 3x4 1x6) SR: 100.00

Mohammad Saifuddin strikes again. This time the ball, pitched outside off and going in with the angle, rushed Wesley Madhevere as the right hander goes for a pull. The ball hits the shoulder of the bat and goes to the opposite direction as that intended and the fielder at point takes an easy catch. Zimbabwe five down. 

Taijul removes Chakabva 

[Wicket] Over 21.1, Zim 113/4: RW Chakabva b Taijul Islam 34 (45b 1x4 0x6) SR: 75.55

A quicker one from Taijul Islam that skids through Regis Chakabva's defence and rattles the stumps. Taijul gets his first wicket in this match. Zimbabwe four down and in need of something very special now to get back in the game.

Afif gets his maiden ODI wicket

[Wicket] Over 13.2, Zim 74/3: SC Williams b Afif Hossain 30 (36b 5x4 0x6) SR: 83.33

Afif Hossain lands a ball on middle and off and it spins ever so slightly to beat the bat of the left-hander Sean Williams and went onto rattle his stumps. What a start for Afif as the debutant gets his first wicket in ODI that too in his very first over. A 46-run partnership between Williams and Regis Chakabva comes to an end.  

Mashrafe, Saifuddin strike early 

[Wicket] Over 3.4, Zim: 28/2: BRM Taylor c Mohammad Mithun b Mohammad Saifuddin 14 (15b 3x4 0x6) SR: 93.33

A short of a length delivery from Mohammad Saifuddin and Brendan Taylor tries to hoist it over mid-wicket region. Mohammad Mithun, who was in that position, takes a nice diving catch. Zimbabwe two down. 

Mashrafe strikes early in his final game as captain

[Wicket] Over 0.4, Zim: 5/1: TS Kamunhukamwe c †Liton Das b Mashrafe Mortaza 4 (4b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza gets a wicket in the very first over. A length ball that was moving away from Kamunhukamwe, gets the outside edge of the right-hander's bat and the wicketkeeper does the rest. A great way for Mashrafe to start his last match as the ODI captain of Bangladesh.  

Bangladesh post 322 for three; revised target 342 in DLS 

Courtesy of the record 292-run opening stand between Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das, Bangladesh posted a mammoth 322 for two against Zimbabwe at the Sylhet International Stadium today. However, the revised target has been set to 342 runs. 

Liton has been brilliant throughout the innings as the exquisite right-hander smashed the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi -- a 143-ball 176 -- before being dismissed in the 41st over. His 292-run partnership with Tamim is now the highest partnership for any wicket for Bangladesh, surpassing the previous best of 224-run fifth wicket stand between Mahmudullah Riyad and Shakib Al Hasan during a Chamipons Trophy clash between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Cardiff in 2017. Liton smashed sixteen fours and eight maximums during his epic. Meanwhile, Tamim smashed succesive tons and remained unbeaten for 109-ball 128. 

Liton falls after smashing the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi

[Wicket], Over 40.5, Ban 292/1: Liton Das c Sikandar Raza b Mumba 176 (143b 16x4 8x6) SR: 123.07

A length delivery from Carl Mumba and Liton Das goes for another biggie. However he did not time this well and the fielder at wide long on takes the catch. Finally the Liton carnage comes to halt. Liton has however been a bit lucky as he was dropped a few times and also saw umpires' decision go his way once but he still walks out with his head held high as he smashed the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi. 

Liton sets the record for best individual score by a Bangladeshi

Over 39.5, Ban 275/0

A length delivery from Sikandar Raza and Liton Das goes back and smashes it over deep midwicket for a huge six. With that Liton has now became the player to have scored most runs in ODIs. He is unbeaten on 160 off 138 balls and the way he is going, it seems like he is not done yet. 

Over 39.2, Ban 264/0

A full toss from Sikandar Raza and Liton Das smashes it over long leg for a six. That brings up his 150. He becomes only the second player to smash 150 in ODIs after Tamim Iqbal. 

Tamim gets to his 13th ODI hundred

Over 38.2, Ban 248/0

Tamim Iqbal works a Donald Tiripano delivery off his hip towards deep square leg and takes a single. That brings up his 13th ODI hundred and this is also successive tons from the left-hander. The partnership between Tamim and Liton Das is now the best partnership for Bangladesh for any wickets, surpassing the previous best of 224-run fifth wicket stand between Mahmudullah Riyad and Shakib Al Hasan during a Chamipons Trophy clash between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Cardiff in 2017.

Over 34.6, Ban 205 for no loss

An outside off length ball from Carl Mumba and Liton Das smashes it way over midwicket for a huge six. That brings up 200 for the Tigers in a grand style. 

Update 6:21pm: Play will resume at 6:45pm and Bangladesh will get another 10 overs to bat. Tamim Iqbal, who is unbeaten on 79, must be excited as this gives the opener a chance to get to his 13th ODI hundred. This will now be a 43-overs-a-side match. 

6:08pm: Covers are off after the rain has stopped and the ground staff are working on getting things ready for the match to restart. The revised playing conditions will be communicated to the teams shortly after loss of overs due to rain.

4:44 pm: The showers had stopped but it is raining again and the covers are back on.

Update: 4:39pm: The rain has stopped and the covers are slowly coming off. 

Liton notches ton in record opening partnership with Tamim; rain stops play following Liton ton

Tamim dances down the track to hit Sean Williams for a big six over deep mid-wicket to set a new record for the highest opening partnership for Bangladesh in ODIs, beating the 170 set by Mehrab Hossain and Shahriar Hossain in 1999. 

Liton then cuts one for four in the penultimate delivery of the 33rd over to go from 96 to 100. He has cut, pulled, driven and even brought out the reverse sweep on a few occasions to record his second ton in this series and the third one in his career. Rain came up shortly after Liton's ton as the players went off at 4.07pm. The crowd will be disappointed. It's been a fantastic show from Liton and Tamim.

Tamim and Liton during their partnership today. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

The skies have grown a dark shade of grey at the Sylhet Cricket International Stadium even as a century stand between Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal have brightened things up for the Tigers in what is Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's final ODI as captain. The lights have also come on with chances of shower coming in to foil the party.

Earlier, Bangladesh got off to a steady but slow start in the first five overs. Tamim Iqbal did the bulk of the scoring with 15 off 17 in the first five overs while Liton remained subdued scoring 5 off 13. However, the right-hander than showed his class hitting some exquisite strokes in the sixth over, bowled by Charlton Tshuma to race to 16 off 19. The openers rotated strike and Liton took charge to give the partnership some momentum. The duo brought up their fifty stand in pretty quick time off just 52 deliveries as Tamim slashed one over point in the ninth over to bring up the fifty partnership. 

Liton, who has been in exquisite touch, had also been the dominant batter in the partnership and he reached his fifty in the 16th over. Liton's 50 off 54 with seven fours. Tamim, not to be left behind, went inside out over extra cover to hit offspinner Wesley Madhevere for six. That six saw Bangladesh reach 86 in 16 overs. Liton could consider himself incredibly lucky in the next over, having survived a loud leg-before appeal off Sean Williams. Umpire says no as ball raps the pads. After some consultation between captain Williams and the wicket-keeper, Zimbabwe decide against a review. Big escape for Liton as ball would have hit the stumps as ball tracking showed later on. 

Following a brief drinks break, the duo brought up their hundred partnership in the 19th over. 100-run partnership off 110 deliveries. 

Tamim reached his fifty in the 21st over. Tamim's fifty off 60 deliveries with three fours and two sixes. He has paced this innings magnificently, our reporter Mazhar Uddin noted in the commentary box at Sylhet.   

No Mushy as Tigers sent to bat in Mash's final ODI as captain

Zimbabwe have won the toss and elected to field first against Bangladesh in what is Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's final game as captain. Mushfiqur Rahim has been rested. Left-handed batsmen Mohammad Naim and Afif Hossain have been handed their ODI debuts with Nazmul Hossain Shanto and pace duo of Shafiul Islam and Al Amin rested. Mohammad Saifuddin returns to the squad after sitting out the second ODI along with Mustafizur Rahman. 

Mashrafe talking to broadcasters at the toss: "The last five-six years, the boys have been working so hard for me and the team. Obviously there will be some emotions. I think there are so many moments over the last six years, ups and downs. But we try to remember how we raised ourselves as a team. Whoever takes over, my best wishes for him. All Bangladesh fans hope to see us at a different level. I hope whoever takes over can motivate the team to take them to the next level. First thing is, I love this game, and the second is the spectators. They support us whether we win or lose. That's the biggest motivation - loving this game and playing for the spectators. (Message to youngsters) They love this game, and any message would be to love this country and play for this country for the next 10 years."

Teams:

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das (wk), Mohammad Naim, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Zimbabwe: Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Regis Chakabva, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams (capt), Wesley Madhevere, Sikandar Raza, Richmond Mutumbami (wK), Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Donald Tiripano, Charlton Tshuma, Carl Mumba