Zimbabwe senior men’s cricket team captain Richard Ngarava has dedicated the team’s two historic home series victories to the fans, following their seven-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the third One-Day International (ODI) at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Despite the loss in the final match, Zimbabwe claimed the ODI series 2-1, having previously secured a nail-biting 13-run victory on Thursday and a convincing 25-run win in Monday’s opener.
The triumph marks a spectacular double for the hosts, who also clinched the One-off Test against the same opponents last week.
With the ODI series already wrapped up, Ngarava was rested for the final game alongside fellow express pacemen Blessing Muzarabani and rising star Newman Nyamhuri. Reflecting on the team's historic achievement, the regular skipper insisted that the recent success belongs entirely to the local supporters.
"I feel happy with how things went and winning two series at home is quite special," Ngarava said. "But we have not done this for the changing room, it's for the fans who are making an effort to come and watch us play."
The skipper also praised the psychological transformation within the squad, pointing out the hunger displayed by the players throughout the tour.
"The biggest take away from this series for me is the mindset and mentality of how the guys are turning up and wanting to change the game regardless of the circumstances," he added.
Though a second-choice bowling attack consisting of Ernest Masuku, Wellington Masakadza, and Tanaka Chivanga was given the nod yesterday, Zimbabwe could not complete a clean sweep.
Batting first, the hosts laboured through a disciplined opening spell from Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, crawling to 21 for 2 in the Powerplay.
Career-best knocks from Wessly Madhevere (75) and all-rounder Brad Evans—who smashed a fighting 50 to back up his maiden half-century in the second match—rescued Zimbabwe from a precarious 108 for 6, lifting them to a defendable 199.
In response, Bangladesh chased down the target with 84 balls to spare, anchored by a superb 151-run opening partnership between Soumya Sarkar (69) and Tanzid Hasan (94).
Zimbabwe’s defence was heavily marred by a string of dropped catches, with Tanzid grassed three times during his match-winning innings.
Ngarava, however, refused to blame his teammates, standing firmly behind the squad's effort.
"The score today was quite defendable, but remember no one wants to drop a catch on any particular day," Ngarava noted.
"Of course, we walked out of the field having put the effort that we wanted to put. Although I was not part of the team that played today, we still backed the guys who played to go out there and defend the total. But that's how cricket is, you win some and lose."
For his spectacular all-round exploits across the matches, Brad Evans was rightly voted the Player of the Series.
The white-ball action now shifts to Bulawayo, where Zimbabwe and Bangladesh will contest a three-match T20 International series at Queens Sports Club. The matches are scheduled for Wednesday July 15, Friday July 17, and Sunday July 19.