Mosaddek Hossain claimed a maiden five-wicket haul and Litton Das continued his breezy form with the bat as Bangladesh toppled Zimbabwe with an easy seven-wicket victory to level the series 1-1.
Chasing a meagre 136, Bangladesh never looked uncomfortable as Litton laid the groundwork with a 33-ball 56 at the top at the Harare Sporting Club on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.
After a slow start, Litton got into the groove pulling away seamer Tanaka Chivanga’s consecutive short balls for two sixes and a four in the fourth over to send the Tigers on their way.
Richard Ngarava took out his partner Munim Shahriar for 7 but that did not slow him down as Anamul Haque (16) opened his account with a boundary.
Zimbabwe bowlers continued pitching the balls short to Litton but the 27-year-old skilfully worked them away, lacing his knock with six boundaries and two sixes.
After Litton and Anamul walked back to the hutch in the space of five deliveries with Bangladesh still 55 runs away, Afif Hossain (30 not out) took charge. With Najmul Hossain Shanto (19) at the other end, the pair showed maturity and gave Zimbabwe bowlers no way through.
Hitting just two boundaries and a six between them, the duo coasted to the win with a 55-run stand and 15 balls to spare.
Earlier, Mosaddek put the Zimbabwe batting to the sword but Sikandar Raza once again came to the rescue to haul Zimbabwe to 135 for eight.
Skipper Craig Ervine opted to set Bangladesh a target after Saturday’s success, but Mosaddek's 5-20 put paid to their hopes of getting a big score.
After replacing a disappointing Taskin Ahmed from the first game with Mahedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan Sohan threw the ball to a wily Mosaddek to open the bowling and he did not disappoint.
The 26-year-old off-break bowler snared the wicket of Regis Chakabva with an arm ball off the first ball before deceiving Wessly Madhevere (4) with a slower one four deliveries later to land a double-strike.
Mosaddek deceived Ervine with a slower one for an easy pouch in his second over and pitched another short to get the better of Williams (8) in his third.
Milton Shumba (3) still went after the spinner and holed himself out at backward square leg as Mosaddek completed his career-best figures in his fourth over.
Raza (62) then rose to the occasion and stitched up much-needed 80 runs for the sixth wicket with Ryan Burl (32). With Mosaddek done with his quota, Bangladesh struggled to find a way through either batters for 65 deliveries.
Raza charmed the home crowd with four boundaries and two sixes but the run rate remained below a run-a-ball until the 14th over.
But as the batsmen looked to flourish, Hasan Mahmud, who replaced Shoriful Islam from the first game, took Burl out before Mustafizur Rahman bagged the wicket of Raza in the space of four deliveries.
Luke Jongwe (11 not out) then pushed the team beyond 130.
The last T20 of the white-ball series will be played on Tuesday at the same venue.