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Shahriar Nafees smashed a robust 105 not out to power Bangladesh to a nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the first One-day International (ODI) here on Thursday.

The left-handed opener hit one six and 13 fours in his third hundred as Bangladesh surpassed Zimbabwe’s modest total of 184-9 with 27 balls to spare for a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Nafees, 20, built on a superb effort from left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, who grabbed a career-best haul of 4-33 to play a key role in restricting Zimbabwe after the tourists had elected to bat.

Only four Bangladeshis have scored a century in ODIs, but Nafees is the only batsman to make more than one. He also completed 1,000 runs during his 138-ball knock. Nafees, who hammered an unbeaten century in his previous ODI against the same opponents in an ICC Champions Trophy match in India last month, continued to feast on Zimbabwe’s bowling with his rich strokeplay.

He dominated a 72-run stand for the opening wicket with Mehrab Hossain (13) and then put on 114 for the unfinished second wicket with Aftab Ahmed (60 not out), who also completed 1,000 runs.

Razzak was earlier well supported by left-arm spinners Mohammad Rafique and Saqibul Hasan, who took two wickets apiece as the tourists lost their way after making a sound start.

Zimbabwe put on 52 for the opening wicket through Brendan Taylor (38) and Stuart Matsikenyeri (27), but then found runs hard to come by against the spin trio.

Razzak bagged four wickets off 10 tight overs, his best in 26 ODIs, while Saqibul took 2-30 and Rafique 2-35. Elton Chigumbura (31), Mluleki Nkala (22) and Gray Brent (20) were the other main scorers, but all of them failed to play a long knock after settling down.

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe won toss

Zimbabwe

†B R M Taylor c Aftab b Rafique 38

S Matsikenyeri b Razzak 27

S C Williams b Rafique 2

C J Chibhabha c Mashud b Saqibul 19

H Masakadza c Mortaza b Saqibul 3

E Chigumbura b Shahadat 31

M L Nkala c Mortaza b Razzak 22

G B Brent b Razzak 20

R S Higgins not out 7

*P Utseya st Mashud b Razzak 6

Extras (lb4, w3, nb2) 9

Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 184

Did not bat: A J Ireland

Fall: 1-52, 2-63, 3-91, 4-95, 5-100, 6-143, 7-158, 8-178, 9-184

Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 10-0-42-0 (1w); Shahadat Hossain 9-0-32-1 (2nb, 2w); Abdur Razzak 10-1-33-4; Mohammad Rafique 10-1-35-2; Saqibul Hasan 10-2-30-2; Mehrab Hossain jnr 1-0-8-0

Bangladesh

Shahriar Nafees not out 105

Mehrab Hossain jnr c & b Williams 13

Aftab Ahmed not out 60

Extras (lb1, w3, nb4) 8

Total (one wkt, 45.3 overs) 186

Did not bat: Saqibul Hasan, *Habibul Bashar, Mohammad Ashraful, †Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain

Fall: 1-72

Bowling: Brent 10-1-34-0; Ireland 6-0-40-0 (1nb, 1w); Chigumbura 4-1-12-0; Utseya 10-0-42-0 (2nb, 1w); Williams 10-0-26-1 (1w); Higgins 4.3-0-29-0; Nkala 1-0-2-0 (1nb)

Result: Bangladesh won by 9 wickets

Series: Bangladesh lead the 5-match series 1-0

Man of the Match: Shahriar Nafees

Umpires: Nadir Shah and S L Shastri (India). TV umpire: Ziaul Islam. Match referee: R S Madugalle (Sri Lanka)

Remaining matches: December 3 (Sunday) 2nd ODI, Bogra (d/n). December 5 3rd ODI, Bogra (d/n). December 8 4th ODI, Fatullah. December 9 45th ODI, Fatullah
Source:The News