The results of practice matches are never given much importance. A warm-up match outside the country is also called a tour match. Bangladesh's two-day match against Zimbabwe's selected XI is just like that. Everyone knows that the probability of winning or losing in this match at the Takashingha Sports Club ground in Harare is almost zero.
It was to see how the batting and bowling would be in Zimbabwe's conditions, and how it would be possible to adapt to a two-day match with a red ball after playing a 20-over league with a white ball.
But all eyes were on Shakib Al Hasan. Many were eagerly waiting to see what Shakib, who had performed very modestly with bat and ball for Mohammedan in club cricket in the country, would do in Zimbabwe.
They are all satisfied. Although Shakib could not find himself in the T20 format club cricket in the country, he was seen in his true form when he went to Zimbabwe. In the two-day warm-up match in Harare, all-rounder Shakib was seen with both bat and ball.
After a brilliant innings of 74 runs (voluntary retirement) off 56 balls with the bat, Shakib now took 3 wickets for 34 runs including 2 maidens in 12.5 overs with the ball.
Along with Shakib, off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz also took 3 wickets (16-2-64-3). The remaining 4 wickets were shared by three pacers Shariful Islam (11-4-33-2), Taskin Ahmed (10-4-20-1) and Ebadat Hossain (10-1-25-1).
Zimbabwe's selected XI was bowled out for 202 runs by Bangladesh's spinners and pacers. Only one of the home team's batsmen was able to put up a little resistance. Timisen Maruma played an innings of 58 runs off 132 balls.
Bangladesh declared their innings at 313 for 2 in the first innings. All but one top-order batsman, Shadman Islam (0), scored runs. Saif Hasan (65), Nazmul Hossain Shanto (52), Shakib (74) and Liton Das (37) voluntarily retired from batting. Mominul Haque was dismissed for 31. Mahmudullah was unbeaten on 40.
Bangladesh entered the second innings with a lead of 111 runs. The most significant event in Bangladesh's second innings was the entry of Tamim Iqbal into the batting.
The game lasted for about 25 minutes in the late afternoon. Bangladesh's total was 22 for no wickets in 7.1 overs. Tamim scored 18 runs off 30 balls, hitting 4 boundaries. His partner Sadman Islam's total was 4 off 13 balls. In this situation, the match was declared a draw.
