Soumya Sarkar’s 49-ball 68 propelled Bangladesh to win the series decider T20I match by 5 wickets against Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday.
With this win, Tigers win the series by 2-1 and also completed a treble of winning Test, ODI and T20 series in the Zimbabwean soil, which is a commendable feat to say the least.
Chasing a mammoth total of 193, Soumya was the one who was instrumental in keeping Bangladesh into the match as wickets were crumbling at the other end. Soumya bided his time and got to a solid half-century, and then skipper Mahmudullah Riyad along with Shamim Hossain steered the team right till the end. Mahmudullah’s 28-ball 34 and Shamim Hossain’s blistering 15-ball 31 safeguarded Bangladesh’s win with four balls to spare.
Soumya was adjudged as both Player of the Match and Series.
Earlier, Zimbabwe posted a mammoth 193 run on the board after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Opener Tadiwanashe Marumani and Wessley Madhevere had a flying start in the series deciding T20 before Mohammad Saifuddin bowled out Marumani for 27 runs. Madhevere scored highest 54 runs, while Regis Chakabva smashed 48 from just 22 balls.
Soumya Sarkar brought Tigers back into the match and retuned Chakabva and Sikandar Raza for naught. Shoriful Islam and Shakib Al Hasan bagged a wicket each.
