BAN vs ZIM, 2nd Test, Day 2: Shadman Hits Ton, Bangladesh Lead by 64 After Taijul’s Five-Wicket Haul

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BAN vs ZIM, 2nd Test, Day 2: Under the relentless sun at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Bangladesh slowly but surely tightened their grip on the second Test against Zimbabwe. At stumps on Day 2.

The hosts stood firm at 291 for 7, earning a slender but crucial 64-run first-innings lead over the visitors. The day began with Zimbabwe still licking their wounds from a modest total of 227, a figure that looked increasingly underwhelming as Bangladesh’s top order dug in with composure and purpose.

Match Highlights - Day 2

• Venue: Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram
• Date: 29 April 2025
• Match Status: Day 2 Stumps - Bangladesh lead by 64 runs

Zimbabwe 1st Innings - 227 All Out (90.1 overs)

• Sean Williams showed resilience with a composed 67 (167).

• Craig Ervine contributed 53 (110) in a steady middle-order partnership.

• Taijul Islam led the charge with the ball: 5 wickets for 60 runs.

• Nayeem Hasan picked up 2 wickets, applying pressure from the other end.

• A late-order collapse saw Zimbabwe lose 7 wickets for just 50 runs.

Bangladesh 1st Innings - 291/7 at Stumps (87 overs)

• Shadman Islam starred with a well-crafted 120 off 181 balls, anchoring the innings.

• Mushfiqur Rahim chipped in with a lively 40 (59) before an unfortunate run-out.

• Anamul Haque added a solid 39, supporting Shadman early on.

• Vincent Masekesa impressed with 3 wickets, including the crucial scalp of the captain.

• Mehidy Hasan Miraz (16*) and Taijul Islam (5*) held firm in the final session.

Match Situation:

• Bangladesh lead by 64 runs with 3 wickets in hand.

• The pitch is beginning to show signs of wear and variable bounce.

• Zimbabwe will aim to wrap up the innings early on Day 3.

• Bangladesh will look to stretch their lead beyond 100 runs before deploying their spinners again.

The tone was set early by Shadman Islam, whose masterful 120 anchored the innings like a ship in calm waters. His 166-ball vigil was laced with 11 crisp boundaries, and though his knock ended abruptly lbw to the part-time spin of Brian Bennett, the platform he laid proved invaluable.

Anamul Haque, returning to the Test setup, showed flashes of aggression but departed for 39, trapped leg-before by the ever-threatening Blessing Muzarabani. Mominul Haque and Najmul Hossain Shanto both got starts, with Mominul contributing a breezy 33 before falling to a sharp delivery from Wellington Masakadza, while skipper Shanto chipped in 23 before nicking off to Vincent Masekesa.

Masekesa was Zimbabwe’s standout performer with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets in the middle session, including the scalp of Jaker Ali, who couldn’t convert his start into something more substantial. His 13 from 38 deliveries did little to change the game’s tempo.

Mushfiqur Rahim, ever the wily veteran, added a quickfire 40 before a lapse in judgement saw him run out by a sharp piece of fielding from Wessly Madhevere. The lower-middle order wobbled momentarily, but Mehidy Hasan Miraz (16*) and Taijul Islam (5*) ensured there was no late collapse, guiding Bangladesh safely to the close of play.

Zimbabwe’s bowlers toiled tirelessly but were often let down by inconsistent lines and a flat pitch. Taijul Islam’s five-wicket haul from Day 1 remains the standout bowling performance of the match so far, and with the ball now in Bangladesh’s court—figuratively and soon literally—they’ll look to press the advantage.

Earlier, Zimbabwe’s batting efforts had revolved around a fighting 67 from Sean Williams and a stubborn 53 from captain Craig Ervine. But a mid-to-late order implosion, orchestrated by the spin tandem of Taijul and Nayeem Hasan, saw the innings fold for 227.

With the pitch beginning to show signs of variable bounce and the Bangladesh spinners already having tasted blood, the third day promises to be a trial by spin for the Zimbabwean batters. The hosts, now in the ascendancy, will aim to stretch their lead and then unleash their spinning arsenal to turn the screws further.

Day 2 may not have seen fireworks, but it delivered a masterclass in attritional cricket. Bangladesh, patient and precise, now hold the key to how this Test unfolds.