Ervine and Taylor rebuild as Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh
Zimbabwe recovered from 24 for three to beat Bangladesh by 99 runs. Ervine, Taylor and Evans drove the win in Abu Dhabi.
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Zimbabwe had lost three batters for just 24 runs. They still won their opening match of the tri-series against Bangladesh by 99 runs on Saturday, 17 October in Abu Dhabi. Craig Ervine and Brendan Taylor rebuilt the innings, before Brad Evans and the other bowlers defended a target of 272.
The game was played in the international ODI format: each side has an innings of a maximum of fifty overs, with an over made up of six legal deliveries. Zimbabwe, batting first, finished on 271 for eight. Bangladesh were bowled out for 172.
A 150-run partnership after Taskin’s early damage
Taskin Ahmed won the early battles. The Bangladesh bowler dismissed Brian Bennett, Ben Curran and Tafadzwa Tsiga inside the first seven overs, leaving Zimbabwe on 24 for three. He finished with three wickets for 44 runs conceded.
Ervine and Taylor then added 150 together before the next wicket fell. The stand took Zimbabwe from 24 for three to 174 for four. Taylor made 81 off 101 balls, while Ervine reached 93 off 106 balls.
Zimbabwe did lose more wickets after the pair were parted. The innings did not end with them, however: Newman Nyamhuri and Wellington Masakadza finished unbeaten on 21 each, helping to take the total to 271. Bangladesh therefore needed 272 to win.
Evans shuts down the chase
Bangladesh’s reply began quickly. Tanzid Hasan struck 46 off 38 balls and his side had reached 47 without loss after six overs. Zimbabwe regained control with the successive dismissals of Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid and Najmul Hossain Shanto. Bangladesh found themselves on 68 for three.
Evans finished with four wickets for 45 runs conceded. Sikandar Raza and Masakadza took two each; Nyamhuri and Blessing Muzarabani one apiece. Those ten wickets ended the Bangladesh innings after 33 overs and four legal deliveries, before the fifty-over limit.
Ervine was named player of the match. Zimbabwe take two points in the standings of this series; Bangladesh remain on zero. The 99-run margin is the difference between the two totals, 271 and 172.
File photo: Craig Ervine playing for Zimbabwe against Australia in Harare, on 15 September 2026. Credit: Zimbabwe Cricket. This photograph does not show the match of 17 October in Abu Dhabi. Cropped, with SNA logo.