Zimbabwe Women – 48 all out in 23.2 overs (Precious Marange 17, Chiedza Dhururu 7, Modester Mupachikwa 6; Nahida Akter 3/2, Salma Khatun 3/6, Jahanara Alam 3/18)
Bangladesh Women – 49-2 in 10.4 overs (Rumana Ahmed 16*, Fargana Hoque 11*, Sharmin Akhter 8; Precious Marange 1/11, Esther Mbofana 1/18)
Bangladesh Women won by eight wickets
Zimbabwe Women were bundled out for a paltry 48 before going down to Bangladesh Women by eight wickets in the first of the three-match one-day international (ODI) series between the two sides at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
Put in to bat first, the home side were in trouble as soon as the third over when opening batter Ashley Ndiraya was dismissed for two, caught at slip by Rumana Ahmed off the bowling off Jahanara Alam.
With only a total of six runs on the board, the captain Mary-Anne Musonda came in at number three with a lot of expectations on her shoulders but she could only last 10 balls before she was bowled by Alam for five, reducing Zimbabwe Women to 12 for two in the fifth over.
Modester Mupachikwa was the next to depart, trapped lbw by Salma Khatun having scored six runs off 21 balls, to make it 14 for three in the eighth over.
In the 11th over, with only six more runs added to the total, Christabel Chatonzwa (3), making her ODI debut, was also given out lbw, this time to Alam.
The collapse continued as Chiedza Dhururu – a last-minute replacement for Josephine Nkomo who was injured during warm-up – contributed seven runs before she was caught at the wicket in the 15th over, leaving Zimbabwe Women reeling at 27 for five.
The introduction of Precious Marange brought some hope for the home side as she hit two consecutive boundaries upon her entry, but on the other end Loreen Tshuma (4) was bowled out by Nahida Akhter in the 20th over – 40 for six.
Zimbabwe Women now desperately needed a big partnership from Marange and Nyasha Gwanzura, but Akhter would have none of that, claiming her second wicket as she bowled Gwanzura for a single run off six balls – 48 for seven in the 22nd over.
In the next over, it was 48 for eight after Marange was caught in the deep by Rumana Ahmed, as she tried to clear the boundary off Khatun’s bowling.
Marange’s 17, which came off 30 deliveries and included three fours, meant she was Zimbabwe Women’s only batter to hit double figures.
No further run was added as the tail was quickly wiped out, with the innings folding for 48 in 23.2 overs.
Akter, Khatun and Alam all impressed with the ball, finishing with three wickets apiece.
Bangladesh Women needed just 49 runs for victory, but it seemed the hosts were not prepared to make it easier for them.
In the second over, the tourists were reduced to 10 for one after Marange had Murshida Khatun caught at the wicket for seven.
Musonda then took a beautiful catch at first slip, off the bowling of Esther Mbofana, to dismiss Sharmin Akhter for eight and make it 21 for two in the fifth over.
However, afterwards there was no further trouble as Rumana Ahmed and Fargana Hoque, both not out with 16 and 11 respectively, took Bangladesh Women to a huge eight-wicket victory that was achieved in 10.4 overs.
The next ODI between the two sides is scheduled for Saturday at the same venue.
