Shakib sizzles on Test return

Dhaka: Left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan took six for 59 as Bangladesh dismissed Zimbabwe for 240 on the opening day of the first Test in Dhaka on Saturday. Shakib, who made his Test comeback after serving a three-month ban for poor discipline, led a three-pronged spin attack that strangled Zimbabwe on the slow wicket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Debutant leg-spinner Jubair Hossain claimed 2-58 and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam finished with 1-42. Opener Sikander Raza was top-scorer for Zimbabwe with 51.

Bangladesh were 27 for one in reply by stumps with Shamsur Rahman (eight) and Mominul Haque (14) at the crease. Opener Tamim Iqbal was dismissed for five, caught by Hamilton Masakadza at second slip off Tinashe Panyangara.

Raza shared a 52-run stand for the fourth wicket with skipper Brendan Taylor (28), but none of the other batsmen settled in to build a partnership after the tourists won the toss and elected to bat.

Shahadat Hossain accounted for the only wicket that fell to a seamer, having Vusi Sibanda caught by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim in the first over of the match.

Bangladesh introduced spin in the eighth over and were rewarded almost immediately as Shakib had Masakadza caught by Jubair at long off for 13. Zimbabwe went in at lunch on a respectable 77-2 but Jubair, who at 19 became the first specialist leg-spinner to play Test cricket for Bangladesh, dismissed Taylor and Raza in quick succession after the break.

Zimbabwe (1st innings): V. Sibanda c Rahim b Shahadat 6, S. Raza c Mahmudullah b Jubair 51, H. Masakadza c Jubair b Shakib 13, B. Taylor c Taijul b Jubair 28, E. Chigumbura c Mominul b Shakib 29, C. Ervine c Mominul b Taijul 34, R. Chakabva c Shamsur b Shakib 25, J. Nyumbu lbw b Shakib 14, T. Panyangara c sub (Marshall) b Shakib 8, T. Chatara (not out) 14, T. Kamungozi c Shamsur b Shakib 5. Extras (b12, nb1) 13. Total (in 75.5 overs) 240.

FoW: 1-6, 2-31, 3-83, 4-128, 5-142, 6-192, 7-200, 8-221, 9-230.

Bowling: Shahadat 14-1-45-1, Al-Amin 8-0-22-0, Shakib 24.5-5-59-6, Taijul 13-3-42-1, Jubair 15-1-58-2, Mahmudullah 1-0-2-0.

Bangladesh (1st innings): Tamim Iqbal c Masakadza b Panyangara 5, Shamsur Rahman (bating) 8, Mominul Haque (batting) 14. Extras 0. Total (for one wicket in 12 overs) 27.

FoW: 1-10.

Bowling: Panyangara 5-0-20-1, Chatara 5-2-5-0, Chigumbura 1-1-0-0, Nyumbu 1-0-2-0.