Razzak lifts Bangladesh to 252

A late hitting spree from an unexpected batsman helped Bangladesh finish on 252 for 9, after they were 185 for 7 in the 44th over. Zimbabwe lost momentum in those last six overs, and they will have to dig deep to level the three-ODI series.The slog-over charge was led by left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, who steered Bangladesh past 200 and then, unbelievably, past 250. He slammed five sixes in his maiden ODI fifty, which came off just 21 balls. Razzak added 67 runs after arriving at the crease at the fall of the seventh wicket. His previous highest ODI score was 35, and is generally not known as such a brutal hitter. His second six was mowed over midwicket while his third went over the trees at long-on.Until Razzak went after them, the Zimbabwe bowlers were more disciplined compared to the first game, when they conceded 18 wides. The return of Kyle Jarvis made the difference, injecting much needed verve into the attack. He was poor towards the end, though, conceding 17 runs in the last over.Elton Chigumbura took three wickets, while Tendai Chatara picked up two. There was one wicket each for the expensive Shingirai Masakadza, the lucky Prosper Utseya and Jarvis.Chatara profited from the pressure at the other end, pitching the ball on a good length and tempting the batsmen into playing shots. He removed Tamim Iqbal early, after he had bowled a teasing line to the left-hand batsman until he edged a slightly wider ball soon after a boundary through mid-off. Chatara also took the prized wicket of Nasir Hossain, who made 36 off 53 balls, when he failed in his attempt to guide the ball past the wicketkeeper.The usually confident Nasir was bogged down after hitting two boundaries in his first 11 balls. Taylor stationed two fielders inside the circle at point and one in the deep, cutting off Nasir's runs in that region.Jarvis picked up the wicket of Mohammad Ashraful, whose confidence seems to have slipped off late. He played the cut from the crease, his feet stuck together.Mushfiqur was adjudged lbw, although replays suggested the Chigumbura delivery was probably slipping down leg side. The Bangladesh captain made 26 off 35 balls, adding 44 for the third wicket with Mominul Haque, who was struggling to time the ball.Mominul was dropped on 1 and 22, Chatara and Sibanda the guilty parties. He lasted only a little while longer, slogging a catch to mid-on off Chigumbura for 24 off 55 balls.Shakib and Nasir added 36 for the fifth wicket before Shakib was given out lbw. As soon as the finger went up Shakib reacted almost violently, slamming the bat on his pads and inadvertently hitting Taylor's pads too. The batsman quickly apologised as he walked off, but it was huge loss for Bangladesh. He was the only batsman who looked comfortable, making 34 off 35 balls with two boundaries and a lot strike rotation.Mahmudullah and Ziaur Rahman were both caught down the leg side towards the end of the innings, Chigumbura taking his third wicket when Mahmudullah timed the ball right into short fine-leg's lap after making 31 off 48 balls with just one boundary.On a good batting surface with the sun out, the target of 253 is within Zimbabwe's reach in order to keep the series alive.