Mahmudullah hits fifty as Bangladesh overcome top-order collapse to post 157-6

Mahmudullah's eighth fifty helped Bangladesh overcome a top-order collapse and post 157-6 after 20 overs in the fifth and final T20I against Zimbabwe at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. 

Sikandar Raza's decision to field first paid dividends as Zimbabwe had Bangladesh reeling at 15-3 in the fifth over of the innings. 

The host batters found it hard to negotiate the seam and extra bounce of Blessing Muzarabani and the turn and bounce of Brian Bennett, so much so that they conceded two wicket-maidens inside the powerplay. 

Tanzid Hasan (two) and Soumya Sarkar (seven), the duo that lit up the previous game with a hundred-run opening partnership, got out cheaply. Towhid Hridoy (one) was done by a length ball with a little bit of turn by Bennett. 

Mahmudullah's arrival in the middle brought a change in the home side's approach. The veteran batter displayed impeccable timing and placement to smash three consecutive boundaries off off-spinner Bennett.

Shanto, who endured a difficult start to his innings, grew confident and boundaries against medium pacer Faraz Akram got him going.

Mahmudullah and Shanto (36 off 28) added 69 off 45 deliveries to weather the storm and lay a platform for the following batters. 

Mahmudullah reached his half-century in 36 deliveries in the 16th over.

Muzarabani got Mahmudullah out for 54 off 44 to dent Bangladesh's hopes of getting a big total. Shakib Al Hasan too looked rusty in his 17-ball-21.

Zimbabwe bowlers looked to pull things back towards the end, denying boundaries to the batters. But Jaker Ali's cameo of 24* off 11 helped them get past the 150-run mark.