Bangladesh emerged victorious in the third T20I against Zimbabwe at Chattogram on Monday, securing the five-match series with two games still to be played.
However, the narrow win did little to dispel concerns about Bangladesh's batting performance, particularly with the upcoming T20 World Cup in mind.
After losing the toss and being put into bat, Bangladesh managed a fighting total of 165 runs. Despite this, their batting display did not showcase the dominance expected, raising questions about their ability to excel under pressure.
Litton Das's ongoing struggles to regain form in T20Is and the lack of significant contribution from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto added to the worries in the lead-up to the World Cup.
Shanto only managed six runs, while Litton's dismissal, bowled while attempting a scoop shot for the third consecutive delivery, raised concerns about his batting approach and shot selection.
The rescue mission for Bangladesh came in the form of Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali. Towhid played a blistering knock, scoring a half-century (57) off just 38 deliveries, providing the much-needed impetus to the innings. Jaker Ali contributed a valuable 44, ensuring Bangladesh reached a total that they could defend.
Blessing Muzarabani was the pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers, taking three wickets and keeping the Bangladeshi batsmen in check.
In their chase, Zimbabwe lost four wickets before even reaching the 50-run mark, highlighting their struggles against the Bangladeshi bowling attack. Only Tadiwanashe Marumani, among the top-order batsmen, managed to reach double figures.
Faraz Akram, coming in as the tenth batsman, put up a valiant fight with a top score of 34 for the visitors, bringing them tantalizingly close to a surprise victory.
At the end, it was Bangladesh's bowling that secured the win. Mohammad Saifuddin, continuing his excellent form since his return to international cricket after a hiatus of over one and a half years, picked up three crucial wickets. Rishad Hossain, the young leg-spinner, chipped in with two wickets, further demonstrating his potential as a key player for Bangladesh.
Shanto applauded Towhid and Jaker after the match. But he expressed concern about the bowling in the death overs.
The next two matches of the series will take place in Dhaka on May 10 and 12.