The left-handed opener also cracked five fours in a 96-ball knock to help Bangladesh overhaul Zimbabwe’s total of 188 for six with seven overs to spare. It was Bangladesh’s second successive one-day series victory, having beaten New Zealand in October.
Man-of-the-match Iqbal put on 136 for the second wicket with Junaid Siddique (56*) to ensure the victory after Imrul Kayes (two) had fallen in Christopher Mpofu’s first over. “I was injured for a few months and needed a few matches to get back. Hundred would have been much better. It doesn’t matter if I score a zero or hundred, they(crowd) will love me,” said Iqbal.
He hit the first six of the Bangladesh innings, lofting Mpofu over long-off. Iqbal, on the other hand, looked set to complete his fourth one-day century when he fell playing an aggressive shot, lofting Keith Dabengwa to deep mid-wicket where Graeme Cremer dived forward to take the catch.
Bangladesh earlier put in an impressive bowling effort to restrict Zimbabwe to a modest total despite a fighting 64 by Tatenda Taibu.
Mashrafe Mortaza (two for 25) rattled the tourists with two early wickets, trapping Hamilton Masakadza (six) and Dabengwa (nine) leg-before.
Zimbabwe were struggling at 21 for three in the 11th over before Craig Ervine (46) and Taibu steadied the innings with a 95-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Shakibal Hasan took the last three wickets, while Abdur Razzak conceded just 31 in 10 overs to be named man of the series.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2010.
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