Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh: Visibly frustrated Blessing Muzarabani runs into Taskin Ahmed's face on Day 2

Bangladesh’s lower-order rearguard continued to frustrate hosts Zimbabwe on the second day of their one-off affair at Harare. Resuming the day at 294/8, overnight partners Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed piled on more misery in a wicketless session that produced 110 runs for them in 24 overs.

The annoyance got the better off Blessing Muzarabani as early as his opening over of the day, and the second overall, when he went up to Ahmed and exchanged a few words with the batter, ramming completely into his helmet grille before going back to deliver. He had banged the ball in short, with Ahmed dropping his hands down, offering no shot and quirkily suggesting that the ball moved away from him.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe had managed to put Bangladesh in trouble on day one, having reduced them 8/2 early morning before a third-wicket stand between Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque steadied the visitors’ ship to some extent. Another session went the hosts’ way with Victor Nyauchi and Muzarabani making further inroads that had Bangladesh reduced to 132/6 around Tea.

Mahmudullah, Taskin Ahmed put Bangladesh in the driver’s seat

Mahmudullah and Liton Das’ record 138-run for the seventh wicket ensured that Bangladesh did not succumb to an unimposing total. However, against the run of play, Donald Tiripano’s twin strikes towards the fag end of day one meant that Zimbabwe still fancied their chances to restrict their opponents under 325.

That it did not go their way was thanks to Mahmudullah and Ahmed, who swelled their overnight 24-run ninth-wicket stand on the second morning to 134, with the former notching up his 5th century and the latter his maiden half-century in the process, taking their team to a score (404/8) that was nowhere in sight even as late as stumps on the previous day.

Mahmudullah, who resumed 54 in the morning, began from where he left and stood unbeaten on 112 at Lunch with 11 fours and a six in his undefeated knock. Playing a perfect second foil and paying no heed to his reputation of being only a bowler, Ahmed’s sensible 89-ball vigil, including eight fours, has put the team in the driver’s seat.

Here’s the Muzarabani-Ahmed spat visual:

Now this is something!

Muzarabani and Taskin get into each other's faces!

🎥 Rabbitholebd #ZIMvBAN #BANvZIM #Cricket pic.twitter.com/mJmR8QfpFI

— Shihab Ahsan Khan (@shihabahsankhan) July 8, 2021