A stunning 201-run stand between centurions Sikandar Raza and Regis Chakabva powered Zimbabwe to their second win on the trot and clinch the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh.
In pursuit of Bangladesh's 290, Zimbabwe lost their way early in the innings losing their top four with just 49 on the board after fifteen overs after Hasan Mahmud triggered the collapse early with two strikes.
Zimbabwe though counterattacked through Raza and Chakabva to stun the visitors. The latter took over the mantle of aggressor in the stand, despite Raza kickstarting the stand with a couple of sixes in consecutive overs. Chakabva got going relatively slower in comparison to Raza but shifted gears quickly as the fifty run stand came off 55 balls.
A bungled run out attempt by Mehidy Hasan gave further leeway for the partnership to flourish as Chakabva tonked four consecutive boundaries off Taskin Ahmed and brought up a 36-ball fifty.
The momentum continued as the duo brought up their hundreds - second in a row for Raza and maiden one for Chakabva - in the 43rd over. Chakabva fell in the next over but Raza stayed put till the end when Tony Munyonga brought the chase to a swift end with a cameo.
Earlier, Bangladesh were given a quicker start by Tamim who hit ten fours and a six in his 45-ball knock. He was the dominant partner in a quickfire 71-run opening stand with Anamul Haque.
However, the innings wobbled when both batters fell in the space of ten balls. Tamim fell soon after getting to his fifty, pulling Tanaka Chivanga straight into the hands of deep-midwicket. Chivanga played a hand in Anamul's run out too, getting his fingers onto a straight drive and deflecting it onto the stumps with Anamul out of the crease at the non-striker's end.
These wickets stemmed the momentum headline into the middle of Bangladesh's innings. But the innings was steadied with a brisk 50-run stand between Najmul Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim. Both failed to kick on after getting to starts, falling prey to Wesley Madhevere's offspin. While Rahim was out attempting a slog sweep, Najmul edged an attempted cut to be caught behind.
The innings was once again prevented from tailing off by a 81-run stand off 84 balls between Mahmudullah and Afif Hossain for the fifth wicket. The latter fell as Zimbabwe headed into the death overs, miscuing a reversed sweep against Sikandar Raza. He became the first of the spinner's three wickets as Mehidy Hasan and Taskin Ahmed fell LBW to him soon after. Between this collapse, Mahmudullah continued to up the ante as Bangladesh piled on 57 runs in the final six overs to finish with a competitive target.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 290/9 (Mahmudullah 80*, Tamim Iqbal 50; Sikandar Raza 3-56) lost to Zimbabwe 291/5 in 47.3 ov (Sikandar Raza 117*, Regis Chakabva 102) by five wickets
Source: Cricbuzz