Twin fifties from Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Saif Hassan set up Bangladesh for a commanding total before Yasir Ali and Mohammad Saifuddin’s late flourish propelled the visitors to 186-5 in the second and penultimate match of the T20 International series against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Friday.
The hosts, leading the series 1-0, won the toss and opted to bowl first as openers Tanzid and Saif began cautiously before taking calculated risks, particularly against the spinners.
Saif got the tourists going by taking on part-timer Brian Bennett with two boundaries early on.
The right-hander also enjoyed extraordinary luck, surviving five dropped catches, three of them inside the powerplay.
Milton Shumba dropped him three times when he was on eight, 17 and 37, while Brad Evans also missed a chance on 19.
Later, Dion Myers also grassed an opportunity on 46.
Bangladesh reached 54 without loss in the powerplay, their best start since the 2025 Asia Cup.
Left-hander Tanzid also received a lifeline when he was dropped on 22 in the eighth over.
The 25-year-old capitalised on it to bring up his 12th T20I fifty off just 33 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes.
Saif, riding his luck, completed his fifth T20I fifty from 42 deliveries before Sikandar Raza bowled him for 55 off 45 balls, an innings featuring eight fours and a six.
His dismissal ended a 120-run opening stand with Tanzid, Bangladesh’s highest opening partnership against Zimbabwe, and their second-best overall after Litton Das and Rony Talukdar’s 124 against Ireland in Chattogram in 2023.
Richard Ngarava then struck twice in the next over to pull the home side back into the contest, removing the well-set Tanzid and captain Towhid Hridoy with extra bounce.
Tanzid, who scored 58 off 44 balls with six fours and two sixes, chopped on after a delivery climbed sharply from a good length.
Hridoy followed soon after, falling for half a dozen off five while attempting to pull Ngarava, leaving Bangladesh on 128-3.
Parvez Hossain Emon did not last long either, skying Evans to Raza at long-off to leave Bangladesh on 137-4.
Nurul Hasan also departed in the same over after edging another bouncer to the wicket-keeper Tadiwanashe Marumani following a boundary, reducing the visitors to 141-5.
Bangladesh then found another gear in the final two overs, with the in-form Yasir Ali leading the charge before pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin smashed Evans for 28 runs in the last over, including four consecutive sixes—the first Bangladesh batter to achieve the feat in a T20I.
The pair added an unbroken 45-run stand off just 19 balls, with Bangladesh collecting 36 runs from the final two overs to finish on 186-5.
Yasir, after scoring his maiden T20I fifty in the series opener, remained unbeaten on 22 off 12 balls with three fours and a six, while Saifuddin blasted 31 not out from only 10 deliveries with four sixes.
Ngarava was the best Zimbabwe bowler with 2/23 while Evans also took two but leaked 65 runs in his quota of four overs.
