Blessing Muzarabani and Zimbabwe Keep Test Cricket Alive

By Shah Faisal 

The Sylhet thriller concluded with Zimbabwe taking the lead in the first series. On the fourth day, the match kept swinging between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe as both teams drew their best weapons to knock the other down, but a good start and sensible batting at the end from Zimbabwe ensured they came out of the match as winners. 

Earlier, Muzarabani was the star with the ball, taking nine wickets in the match. But Zimbabwe nearly stumbled in their chase of 174 runs. They were cruising at first but collapsed after needing just under 50 more runs. That collapse was caused mainly by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who took his second five-wicket haul in the match and reached his 200th Test wicket. 

Zimbabwe's openers, Brian Bennett and Ben Curran, gave them a strong start, putting on 95 runs in 21 overs. Curran made 44 before falling to Mehidy. Mehidy then kept his bowling lines tight and his skills sharp to set the cat among the pigeons, causing a collapse from 95/1 to 145/6. 

However, with 7 down, Ngarava came in and hit a boundary to bring the target down to nine. Madhevere then hit a couple of boundaries off Taijul and Mehidy to take Zimbabwe home in a tense finish—a win that will be remembered for years in Zimbabwean cricket history. 

This win for Zimbabwe, like the results last year, has strengthened the ability of Test cricket to be more entertaining and nail-biting than other formats, especially in terms of skills and pressure absorption. Just like 2024, which saw the most away wins (28), 2025 has also seen the rhythm continue with Zimbabwe's win. Beating Bangladesh in their own backyard is a tough task and seeing Zimbabwe do it will raise the confidence of the team and the status of Test cricket. 

Muzarabani: The Man for All Seasons? 

The tall, average-paced, and single-faceted Zimbabwean bowler has now become a dependable force for his team. His promise and commitment are bearing fruit, and this win will be remembered as the result of his tireless efforts in the second innings. He bent his back all the time and earned timely wickets for his team, especially when partnerships threatened. He ended the match with 9/122 and completed his 50th Test wicket. He now has Test stats of 50 wickets with an average of 20 and a strike rate of 41. These are efficient and promising numbers. They show how much talent and hunger lie in the bowling core of this young bowler, but the lack of regular Test cricket hinders his fire from blooming further. If given the chance, he can reignite the legacy of great cricket that Zimbabwe once used to produce on a regular basis.