Batter Brian Bennett and quicks Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava played key roles as Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 32 runs on Wednesday in the first of the three T20 Internationals.
After losing the toss, Zimbabwe batted and Bennett top scored with 44 as the home team reached 170-6 in 20 overs at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
In reply, middle-order Yasir Ali was the only Bangladesh batter to impress, making 54 before becoming one of four Ngarava victims. The tourist were all out for 138 with six balls remaining.
The teams meet again on Friday and Sunday with Zimbabwe chasing an all-formats treble. In Harare, they won a one-off Test, then a one-day international series 2-1.
Opener Bennett was the third Zimbabwe batter to fall. He attempted an upper cut off a delivery outside off stump from Nahid Rana and was caught by Tanzid Hasan at deep point.
Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel
After losing two wickets off successive balls from Nana, unbeaten pair Ryan Burl (30) and Evans (19) put on 31 for the seventh wicket.
Rana was the star bowler for Bangladesh, taking 4-26, including Bennett and fellow opener Tadiwanashe Marumani (14).
The tourists slumped to 34-3 in response with Ngarava (4-26) claiming openers Saif Hassan (12) and Tanzid Hasan (16).
While Ali was at the wicket there was a glimmer of hope for Bangladesh, but his dismissal off the first ball of the 17th over left the tourists 130-7.
The 30-year-old miscued a Ngarava delivery to the covers where Evans made the catch. The tail added only eight runs with Muzarabani (4-17) taking two wickets.
READ: Aqib Javed unveils padel initiative for Pakistan cricketers’ fitness
