Bangladesh have suffered a 31-run defeat in the third Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe, who stayed alive in the series displaying some fine batting.
Malcolm Waller starred for Zimbabwe with a blistering 23-ball 49, firing the visitors to a massive 187 for 6 and eventually to a series-saving victory at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna on Wednesday.
In reply, a spectacular knock from Sabbir Rahman (50 off 32 balls) failed to rescue the hosts who made five changes from the last match. They managed 156 for six.The Tigers, who still lead the four-match series 2-1, needed to better their previous best chase of 165.
But they started poorly, losing Imrul Kayes (1), who came into the match in place of Tamim Iqbal, in the first over of the chase.
Sabbir Rahman and Soumya Sarkar (25) then steadied the ship with a gritty 67-run stand.
Sabbir kept the required run rate in sight with some delightful strokes on either side of the wicket. He reached his second T20I fifty off 31 balls, bedecking it with nine boundaries.
Bangladesh lost their way after losing their batting lynchpin Sabbir to Sikandar Raza as Mosaddek Hossain (15), Shakib Al Hasan (3) and Mahmudullah (6) walked back in the space of seven deliveries.
As the run-rate hovered around 16 run per over by then, Nurul Hasan (30 off 17) and debutant Muktar Ali (19 off 15 balls) could only delay the inevitable defeat.
Zimbabwe spinner Graeme Cremer (3/18) bagged the wickets of Soumya, Shakib and Mahmudullah while Raza chipped in with two wickets.
Earlier, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza handed the new ball to debutants Abu Haider Rony and Mohammad Shahid after being sent to field first.
But the duo's inexperience cost Bangladesh as Hamilton Masakadza (20) and Vusi Sibanda (44) hammered them for nine boundaries and a six in the first four overs.
Although Shahid took out Hamilton in the last ball of the fourth over, Sibanda looked unfazed, cropping up regular boundaries before a short rain-break in the seventh over.
Shakib (3/32) took out Sibanda as his 400th international wicket. That brought Waller in the middle and he immediately took charge.
He led an onslaught with two boundaries and four huge sixes before falling to Shakib. Rony then took two wickets in the final over.
Brief scores:
Zimbabwe: 187/6 in 20 overs (Masakadza 20, Sibanda 44, Mutumbami 20, Williams 32, Waller 49, Raza 7, Moore 10*, Cremer 0; Shakib 3/32, Haider 2/40, Shahid 1/32)
Bangladesh: 156/6 in 20 overs )Kayes 1, Soumya 25, Sabbir 50, Mosaddek 15, Shakib 3, Mahmudullah 6, Muktar 19*, Nurul 30*; Cremer 3/18, Raza 2/7, Chisoro 1/15)
Man of the Match: Malcolm Waller
