Masakadza: Couple of turning points didn’t go our way

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Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza said his side’s ODI defeat against Bangladesh on Sunday could have turned out differently if a crucial decision had gone their way.

The African side fell to a 28-run defeat to the hosts in Dhaka after Bangladesh, thanks to a career-best 144 by opener Imrul Kayes, posted a total of 271/8 in their 50 overs.

Zimbabwe could only muster 243/9 in reply to go 1-0 down in the three-match series but it could have so different had a decision gone the other way in 31st over of the first innings.

REPORT: Kayes’ crucial ton guides Bangladesh to ODI win over Zimbabwe

With Bangladesh struggling at 139/6, seamer Kyle Jarvis found the edge of Mohammad Saifuddin with Craig Ervine claiming the catch at first slip only for the umpire to rule that the ball did not carry.

Saifuddin and Kayes then went and put on 127 for the seventh wicket, including 85 in the last 10 overs, as Zimbabwe got plundered inthe final overs.

Masakadza said after the game: “With the way the game panned out, we played really well but there were a couple of turning points in the game.

“If those had gone our way it would have been a totally different game. It’s fine lines.

“I felt if that catch had been given, that definitely would have been a turning point. But it’s fine lines in cricket. Sometimes you get those, sometimes you don’t, and today we didn’t get it and that set us on the back foot.”

Zimbabwe’s batsmen though have let the side down badly recently and Sunday was no different even after they were given a good start by openers Masakadza (21) and Cephas Zhuwao(35), who added 48 in the first seven overs.

Most of the visitors’ batters got starts but only Sean Williams, 50 not out, went to get a score of note.

Masakadza continued: “We just need to make sure we win a few more blocks of 10 than we did today, and push on a little more than we did today,” he said. “The guys played well at the death to get us that close.

“I didn’t really think we’d get up to where we got to. We lost that last block of 10 quite badly, which really set us back. If we had bowled a little better at the death, we wouldn’t have been chasing so many.

“We won the [first ten overs] in the batting, but we lost the one in the bowling by too far.”

The second ODI of the three-match series takes place in Chittagong on Wednesday.

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