Taijul 5-for rips through Zimbabwe on Day 1 in Chattogram

Taijul Islam (5-60) has spun up a superb five-wicket haul to spark a Zimbabwe batting collapse after the visitors started well in the final session of the opening of the Chattogram Test.

It was Taijul’s 16th five-wicket haul in Tests as he helped Bangladesh cleave the Zimbabwe batting from 200-4 to 228-9 at stumps at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Monday.

Sean Williams top-scored for Zimbabwe with 67, while Nick Welch gathered 54 before cramps forced him off the field shortly after tea. But Welch later fell as Taijul’s fifth scalp.

Nayeem Hasan picked up two wickets, and debutant Tanzim Hasan took one in the first session.

Zimbabwe began brightly as Brian Bennet (21) struck 5 boundaries in the first 10 overs, but he fell to Tanzim as his maiden Test wicket within the first hour of the morning, edging back to the wicketkeeper.

Moments later, Shadman Islam grassed a simple catch from Welch with the batsman on 1. The blunder allowed Ben Curran (21) and Welch to go into a six-hitting spree.

Taijul then returned and removed Curran with an inside edge onto the leg stump. Welch then dug deep with Williams as Zimbabwe went into lunch on 89 for 2.

The Eagles consolidated in the second session by not losing any wickets as Welch became watchful, playing out 77 balls for only 22 runs. Williams dominated their third-wicket partnership, hitting six fours during this time at the crease.

In the 33rd over, Williams and Welch got into a mix-up, but Bangladesh fielders messed up the opportunity with poor communication among themselves.

Both the batsmen suffered cramps towards the end of the session as Williams needed attention on his calf and hamstring, while Welch's hands were cramping up.

After Welch walked off the field with cramps early in the third session, Nayeem removed Craig Ervine for 5. Williams fell next to a brilliant catch by Tanzim in backward square leg. He struck a six and seven fours in his patient 67 off 166 balls.

Bangladesh conceded just 18 runs in the first 16 overs of the final session before Wessly Madhevere struck a couple of boundaries against Nayeem.

Taijul then took out Madhevere for 15 as the collapse continued.

Wellington Masakadza and Richard Ngarava went down in the first over with the second new ball before Tafadzwa Tsiga ran himself out at the non-striker's end.