Zimbabwe hold off Bangladesh for 25-run victory

Richard Ngarava celebrates after taking the wicket that sealed Zimbabwe’s win in Harare.

Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 25 runs in the opening one-day international in Harare, defending 141 to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The hosts were in trouble at 70 for 8 before Newman Nyamhuri and Richard Ngarava combined in a 63-run ninth-wicket stand to lift them to a modest total of 140 for 10 in 36.4 overs.

Nyamhuri top-scored with 33, while Ngarava made 27 and later played the leading role with the ball.

Bangladesh appeared to have control after Nahid Rana produced career-best figures of 6 for 21, the best ODI bowling return by a Bangladesh player, but their batting collapse overturned that advantage.

Zimbabwe struck early in the chase and kept taking wickets at regular intervals, with Ngarava finishing with 3 for 31 to break the lower order and close out the match.

Bangladesh were dismissed for 116 in 33.1 overs, with Nurul Hasan top-scoring on 31 in a chase that never fully recovered after early damage.

The victory gave Zimbabwe an important start in the series after their recent Test win over Bangladesh in Harare.

Nahid Rana’s spell kept Bangladesh alive for much of the match, but Zimbabwe’s lower-order resistance and tighter bowling proved decisive in the end