BANGLADESH wrapped up their one-day series against Zimbabwe with a comfortable 124-run victory in Mirpur.The Tigers were already leading the five-match series 2-0 and 95 from Anamul Haque plus contributions all down the order saw them post 297 for six.
The tourists never looked like chasing that down and lost wickets at regular intervals before being dismissed for 173 with 61 balls to spare.
Tamim Iqbal had scored two centuries and two fifties in his last six innings but seemed content to take a back seat with Anamul bringing up his half-century off 66 balls as the openers easily negotiated the first 20 overs.
The Bangladesh hundred and the century partnership came in the next over and they had reached 116 without loss at the halfway stage before Tamim fell to an unfortunate run out on 40.
Anamul worked a Hamilton Masakadza delivery to deep-midwicket and, while coming back for a second, Tamim got his bat stuck in the ground and the bails were removed as he attempted to jump into the crease.
That brought Mominul Haque to the crease but he could add just 15 before he went fishing for a Masakadza delivery outside off and found Timycen Maruma at mid-off.
The home side were still looking comfortable at 160 for two with Anamul on course for a century but it was 167 for three when he fell for 95. Tafadzwa Kamungozi sent a short one down and Anamul mis-pulled it to the substitute fielder at deep-midwicket.
Shakib Al Hasan and captain Mushfiqur Rahim then went about upping the rate but both were gone in the 44th over, Shakib top-edging a Tinashe Panyangara delivery to Elton Chigumbura for 40.
Mushfiqur (33) got an inside edge on the last ball of the over to make it 244 for five and Sabbir Rahman (22) exited in the penultimate over.
Zimbabwe’s reply got off to a poor start with Vusi Sibanda (nine) caught by Arafat Sunny off the bowling of Mashrafe Mortaza in just the third over.
Masakadza responded with a six but was gone soon after for 12 in controversial fashion as he was adjudged to have glanced a Mortaza delivery down the leg side to Mushfiqur but there looked to be no contact
When Maruma fell for eight, caught by Mortaza off Rubel Hossain, the tourists were in big trouble at 39 for three.
Brendan Taylor and Solomon Mire staged a small recovery as they put on 41 but the latter was stumped off the bowling of Sunny for 12 and when Taylor (28) was trapped in front by Shakib, Zimbabwe were 82 for five.
Regis Chakabva was next to go for 14, bowled by Mahmudullah, and Peter Moor (two) soon followed lbw to Rubel Hossain.
Sunny then tidied up the tail to take his total to four for 27 and leave skipper Chigumbura stranded on 53 as Bangladesh eased to victory.