Bangladesh avoid whitewash with seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe

Bangladesh ended their three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe on a winning note, cruising to a seven-wicket victory in the third and final match to avoid a series whitewash.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first, dismissing Zimbabwe for 199 in 48.1 overs at Harare Sports Club.

Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim struck a scintillating 94 as Bangladesh cruised to victory after losing the opening two matches, reports BSS.

The convincing win also ended Bangladesh's winless run on the Zimbabwe tour, following an innings and 85-run defeat in the one-off Test and successive losses in the first two ODIs.

After bowling Zimbabwe out for 199, Bangladesh reached 200-3 in just 36 overs for the much-needed victory, with 84 deliveries to spare. 

Tanzid laid the foundation with a dominant opening stand of 151 runs alongside Soumya Sarkar, who contributed 69 off 82 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes.

Zimbabwe finally broke the partnership when Tanaka Chivanga, one of three changes to the home side, clean-bowled Soumya.

Tanzid looked destined for his second ODI century but fell heartbreakingly short after Ernest Masuku dismissed him for 94 off 101 balls.

His innings featured eight fours and three sixes, and during the knock, he reached 1,000 ODI runs.

Masuku struck again in the same over to remove Towhid Hridoy for a three-ball duck, but Najmul Hossain Shanto remained unbeaten on 18 to steer Bangladesh home comfortably.

Pacer Shoriful Islam earlier returned figures of 4-44 to help Bangladesh bundle out Zimbabwe in what was a chaseable total despite the conditions heavily favouring the seam bowlers.

Wessly Madhevere top-scored with a fluent 75 off 74 balls, while Brad Evans struck a brisk 50 from 43 deliveries to record his second successive half-century of the series. 

Apart from the duo, the remaining Zimbabwe batters managed only 61 runs from 172 balls as Bangladesh's bowlers dominated in conditions favourable to seam.

Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that paid immediate dividends as Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful reduced Zimbabwe to 27-3 inside 13 overs.

Madhevere and Innocent Kaia steadied the innings with a 48-run stand for the fourth wicket before Taskin broke the partnership by dismissing Kaia for 25 off 67 balls. Taskin finished with figures of 2-32 from his allotted 10 overs.

Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, one of two changes to the Bangladesh side, then struck crucial blows in the middle overs. 

He removed stand-in captain Sikandar Raza, who was leading the side in place of the rested Richard Ngarava, for 11 before ending Madhevere's impressive innings, which featured five fours and a six.

Evans once again provided late momentum for Zimbabwe, taking the attack to the Bangladesh bowlers with an aggressive counterattack.

He plundered Bangladesh bowlers all corners of the park in a show of an attacking brand of cricket in what was a seam-friendly condition to push the total closer to 200.

However, Shoriful returned to dismiss him after his entertaining 50, an innings laced with five fours and two sixes, before wrapping up the tail to finish with four wickets.

Despite the defeat, Zimbabwe secured the three-match ODI series 2-1.

The two teams will next face off in a three-match T20 International series, beginning on July 15 in Bulawayo.