By Agencies

Bangladesh routed visiting Zimbabwe by 218 runs in the second Test on day five at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

With this win, Bangladesh leveled the two-match series 1-1 as they lost the first game by 151 runs at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium last week.

Bangladesh capitalised on a nice and flat pitch by putting up a mammoth total of 522/7 (declared) in the first innings where player of the match Mushfiqur Rahim [219 *] hit a double-hundred and Mominul Hoque [161] a century.

Despite Taylor’s heroics [110] in the first innings, Bangladesh bowled out Zimbabwe for 304 at the end of day-three.

The host then decided to open the second innings on the day-four instead of asking the visitors to follow-on to post a big enough lead and provide their bowlers a bit rest for 10-wicket mission.

Bangladesh piled up 224/6 (declared) in the second innings and set up a tough target of 443 runs. 

Zimbabwe lost a couple of wickets on penultimate day’s evening but Taylor [106] remained and so did their hope.