Anamul Haque marked his return to One-Day International cricket by hitting his fourth ODI fifty in the first match of the three-match series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Friday.
Anamul reached his fifty in just 47 balls, with the help of four boundaries and two sixes as Bangladesh reached 222-1 after 41 overs.
Anamul, who last played an ODI over two years ago, came to the crease in the 26th over after Tamim Iqbal got dismissed for 62, soon after reaching 8,000 runs in ODI cricket, bringing an end to the 119-run opening stand.
Anamul and Liton Das then added 52 runs for the second wicket off just 45 balls. That partnership ended abruptly when Liton got taken off the field in a stretcher after presumably pulling a muscle.
After Liton left the field retired hurt on 81, Anamul started playing even more aggressively, smashing the Zimbabwe bowlers for boundaries across the ground before finally completing his fifty with a six off Milton Sumba over Long on.
With nine overs to go, Anamul was unbeaten on 50 with Mushfiqur Rahim batting on 17 at the other end.