Opener Nafis Iqbal hammered his maiden Test century on Tuesday to help Bangladesh draw the second test match against Zimbabwe and record their first-ever series triumph by 1-0.
Chasing a target of 374 runs, Bangladesh posted 285 for five in the second innings to Iqbal’s match-saving knock of 121 off 354 balls, including 18 boundaries.
Rajin Saleh made a valuable contribution with an undefeated 56 and another opener, Javed Omar, chipped in 43.
The hosts were under pressure after conceding an 87-run first-innings lead to Zimbabwe, who made 298 in the first innings followed by 286 in the second.
Bangladesh were dismissed for 211 in their first innings.
Mixing caution with determination, Iqbal, who will turn 20 on January 31, held the innings despite losing opener Javed Omar for 43, captain Habibul Bashar for two and Mohammad Ashraful for three.
Iqbal was dismissed just after the tea break, lofting a Tinashe Panyangara delivery to Brendan Taylor.
Aftab Ahmed continued his poor form and was caught behind off Panyangara, leaving Bangladesh under pressure at 206-5.
But Saleh shared an unbeaten sixth-wicket, 79-run partnership with Khaled Mashud (28) to take Bangladesh out of trouble and into safety.
Fast-bowler Panyangara claimed three wickets for 28 runs, while spinner Graeme Cremer snared two wickets.
Omar was first to fall — dismissed by Cremer — after Bangladesh resumed with an overnight score of 98 for no loss.
Bashar was dismissed after lunch, caught by Hamilton Masakadza off Tinashe Panyangara. His replacement, Mohammad Ashraful (three), was brilliantly caught at slip by Dion Ebrahim off Cremer — his second wicket.
At the lunch break, Bangladesh had scored 135 runs, losing only opener Omar, who was caught at slip by Taylor off Cremer just before the break.
Iqbal was batting on 77 with captain Bashar, who was yet to score.
The draw gave Bangladesh their first-ever Test series.
The hosts won the first Test by 226 runs last week. It was Bangladesh’s first Test triumph since it gained full membership of the International Cricket Council in 2000. — Sapa-AP