Tamim Iqbal scored 154 to lead Bangladesh to a series-clinching, four-wicket win over Zimbabwe on Sunday after the hosts’ Charles Coventry had hit 194 not out to equal the highest one-day international score.
Coventry smashed 16 boundaries and seven sixes in 156 balls to help Zimbabwe total 312-8 in the fourth one-day international and match the score made by Saeed Anwar for Pakistan against India in Chennai in 1997.
However, Iqbal’s 138-ball innings containing seven boundaries and six sixes allowed Bangladesh to eclipse the total with 13 balls remaining at the Queens Sports Club and clinch an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
PHOTO: AFP
Bangladesh’s score of 313-6 was its second-highest ever, five days after hitting 320 to win the second match of the series.
“It’s a great feeling,” Coventry said of equaling the record. “It would have been nice if we had won but full credit to Bangladesh, they played really well. I wasn’t really thinking much of that [record]. I was only trying to get much of the strike and do well for the team.”
Coventry was dropped on 13 by Syed Rasel on the boundary but then started timing the ball superbly, hitting powerfully on the back foot and picking the half volleys with relative ease. He was dropped again on 137 by Mahmudullah at square leg.
Zimbabwe’s players erected a guard of honor for Coventry as he left the field at the change of innings. Stuart Matsikenyeri (37), Hamilton Masakadza (21) and Elton Chigumbura (15) were the only other Zimbabwean batsmen to reach double figures.
Zimbabwe lost opener Mark Vermeulen for 5 on the ninth ball of the innings, caught by Junaid Siddique at short mid-wicket from a short ball by Mahbubul Alam.
Masakadza and Coventry put on 82 before the former was caught by Raqbul Hassan on the boundary off Mohammad Ashraful. Brendan Taylor (9) and Sean Williams (4) had gone cheaply by the 24th over, but Matsikenyeri and Coventry added 107 in less than 18 overs to help take Zimbabwe to its fifth-highest one-day international total.
Iqbal put on an opening stand of 68 with Junaid Siddique (38) and 119 for the fourth wicket with Raqbul Hassan, who scored 35.
Iqbal was dropped by Chigumbura on 86 before finally being dismissed after being caught by Vusi Sibanda off Ray Price.
“We batted really well,” Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said. “On this wicket, any team can score 300. We batted really well and played smart cricket.”
Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya said his team did not score enough runs.
“I think on this wicket you need between 320 and 340 — 310 is a par score,” he said.
“You need to take all the chances that come your way. We dropped Tamim and maybe that was the turning point,” the Zimbabwe captain said.
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