First agony, then ecstasy

Stand-in captain Hamilton Masakadza was in sublime form. Having struck two sixes and three fours, he looked good to biff a few more to give Zimbabwe a chance of gunning down the 168-run target. But when he lofted the ball towards long-on, the stadium went eerily quiet for a couple of seconds, because it was that close to being a six. But the moment the ball lodged in Mahmudullah's hands, the roar was back. Usually the crowd is the best barometer to judge the mood of the game. There was little doubt on that occasion as to which way the game would have turned had that catch not been taken.

Zimbabwe were giving away plenty of boundaries in the first six overs, but there were a few dot balls in there too. Tamim Iqbal showed patience, but it wasn't a smooth sailing for him as the singles were hard to find. Did it bother him? It didn't look like as he the first sign of pressure brought out a big hit - a slap for six after Nevill Madziva had bowled four good balls.

Mahmudullah's edge off Wellington Masakadza was brilliantly taken by the Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami. He displayed fineness by staying low enough to take the thin under-edge in the eleventh over. The ball looked like it hanging out of his glove as he got up with the bounce, but he recovered well, held his composure to complete the catch.

Mashrafe Mortaza brought himself into the attack in the fifth over, and should have had a wicket almost immediately. But Imrul Kayes put one down at cover to give Hamilton Masakadza a reprieve on 24. It was a simple chance, but the ball popped out of Kayes's grasp as soon as he hit the turf after diving. To add insult to injury, Shuvagata Hom couldn't reach a lofted hit at midwicket two balls later. It simply added to the agony of Mashrafe.