Bangladesh justified their 'favourites' tag coming into the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe by winning the first match by 28 runs under the floodlights at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. It however needed Imrul Kayes to strike a career-best 144 to rescue the home side from a precarious position in the afternoon.

After the now routine early batting collapse left the more-fancied hosts on 139 for six in the 30th over, it was Imrul and young Mohammad Saifuddin's record 127-run seventh-wicket stand that helped Bangladesh post a challenging 271 for eight to lay the foundation for an eventually comfortable win.

Making a comeback to the side after a year, Saifuddin -- whose previous best score with the bat was 16 -- registered his maiden half-century off 69 balls with the help of three fours and a six and along with Imrul's late surge, helped the Tigers add 85 runs in the last 10 overs of the innings.

Imrul Kayes during his incredible knock in the first ODI against Zimbabwe. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Imrul, who reached his third ODI hundred off 118 balls, was eventually dismissed for a 140-ball 144, during which he hit 13 fours and six sixes. He departed in the 49th over but had done his job by then.

In reply, Zimbabwe never looked like chasing down the challenging target on a Mirpur pitch that is always more difficult to bat on in the second half and eventually reached 243 for nine. The margin of victory would have been much bigger if not for late heroics from Kyle Jarvis, whose 33-ball 37 reduced the margin after Zimbabwe were at one stage on 169 for eight.

Off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz once again proved his worth in the fifty-over format and bagged three wickets while left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam took two. Zimbabwe's rot was started by left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who uprooted left-handed opener Cephas Zhuwao's off stump to the delight of a near-capacity Mirpur crowd.

But earlier it was the 31-year-old Imrul who despite being in his 10th year of international cricket is yet to become a stalwart like Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim or Mahmudullah Riyad but his joint second-highest individual score for Bangladesh yesterday will certainly take him nearer.

The term 'comeback man' has been tagged to his name as whenever Imrul's back has been to the wall he has come up to deliver his best. He proved it recently upon his surprise return to the Tigers' squad in the UAE during the Asia Cup when he struck a crucial fifty against Afghanistan, but went on to fail in the next two games as pressure started to mount on him.

Imrul Kayes celebrates his hundred against Zimbabwe. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

There was pressure too yesterday since Bangladesh opted to bat and once again failed to provide a good start after the dismissal of Liton Das, who was unable to put a high price tag on his wicket.

After striking his maiden ODI hundred against India in the final of the Asia Cup, which was followed by the country's fastest first-class double hundred, Liton threw away his wicket trying to clear the inner circle off seamer Tendai Chatara on four.

30-year-old debutant Fazle Mahmud can consider himself unlucky as he received a brilliant snorter from Chatara in just his fourth delivery to be caught behind without troubling the score as Bangladesh struggled on 17 for two.

Imrul, who was lucky to be dropped on seven, started the rebuilding process with the experienced Mushfiqur Rahimm and the duo added 49 runs for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed off a short pitched-delivery from leg-spinner Brandon Matuva which kissed his bat before it was grabbed by the wicketkeeper.

Imrul was then joined by Mohammad Mithun, who looked confident as the right-hander struck consecutive sixes off Sikandar Raza to reach the thirties in quick time before also departing on 37 off 40 balls.

Mahmudullah and Mehedi's quick dismissals made things worse for the Tigers before Imrul and Saifuddin took charge. 

Brief Scores:

Bangladesh: 271/8 (Imrul 144, Mithun 37, Saifuddin 50, Jarvis 4/37, Chatara 3/55)

Zimbabwe: 243/9 (Williams 50, Zhuwao 35, Jarvis 33, Mehedi 3/46, Nazmul 3/38)

Teams

Bangladesh: Liton Das, Imrul Kayes, Fazle Rabbi, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (C), Nazmul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza (C), Cephas Zhuwao, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sean Williams, Peter Moor, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Brandon Mavuta, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara