Bangladesh secure one-day series

One-day international, Bogra: Bangladesh 220 (49.2 ovs) bt Zimbabwe 194 (49 ovs) by 26 runs

Scorecard

The Tigers celebrate the wicket of Stuart Matsikenyeri

Bangladesh took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series after recording a 26-run win over Zimbabwe in Bogra.

Put into bat, openers Shariar Nafees and Mehrab Hossain jr, who shared 104 in Sunday's second match, quickly notched 64 within the first 10 overs.

All but skipper Habibul Bashar of the leading batsmen got a start, but there was no major score in 220 all out.

In reply, Sean Williams, who struck his maiden fifty on Sunday, hit 68, the top score in the game, but had little help.

Nafees got the Tigers off to a flying start, taking two fours off Ed Rainsford in the opening over and adding a boundary in each of the next two overs.

Hossain punished the recalled Christopher Mpofu with two fours in three balls.

Taylor is beaten for pace by Shahadat Hossain in Bogra

Having punched Elton Chigumbura for his seventh four, Nafees was dismissed for 35 when he clipped off his pads and Gary Brent held a stunning diving catch to his right at leg gully.

Bangladesh continued to score at more than five an over, but after the 20-over mark the rate dipped below five as wickets began to fall.

Tailender Mashrafe Mortaza smashed two sixes on the leg-side in an unbeaten 22 to ensure a challenging total.

Zimbabwe, who beat Bangladesh 3-2 in a one-day series in August, soon lost Brendan Taylor, bowled through the gate for one in the fourth over.

Williams was watchful in the early stages of his innings, but shared 58 with Keith Dabengwa, who smashed two fours and a six in his 31, before Abdur Razzak dismissed them both within three balls with well flighted deliveries.

Mortaza also claimed two wickets in an over as the innings was duly wrapped up with the final ball of the penultimate over, Razzak trapping Rainsford to earn his maiden five-wicket haul.