||Desk Report||

Zimbabwe suffered their third straight ODI-series whitewash as Bangladesh registered another comprehensive seven-wicket victory in the third and final ODI at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, in Chittagong.

Winning the toss, Bangladesh elected to field first. Abu Hider and Mohammad Saifuddin justified the decision by removing the openers within first three overs.

Hamilton Masakadza was out bowled by Hider for 2 runs and Saifuddin rattled the stumps of Cephas Zhuwao for naught.

Brandon Taylor and Sean Williams again put up a rescue act, restoring the Zimbabwean innings after Bangladesh’s early strikes. Both the batsman completed their half-centuries and stitched together a 132-run stand.

Taylor was dismissed for the same score as the last match, against Nazmul Islam this time. His 71-ball innings of 75 runs was laced with eight fours and three sixes.

After Taylor’s exit, Raza and Williams formed another 84-run partnership. Raza became Nazmul’s second scalp, scoring 40 runs.

Williams went on to belt a century and remained unbeaten till the end of Zimbabwe’s innings, with 129 runs to his name. Unlike the last game, Zimbabwe were more composed in their approach in the slog overs as they posted 77 runs in the last 10 overs. Before getting run out in the last over, Peter Moor shared a 62-run stand with Williams.

Though Nazmul got two wickets to his name, he was a bit expensive today, allowing 58 runs in eight overs while Mashrafe, too, conceded 56 runs in eight overs.

Zimbabwe ended up setting a target of 287 runs, losing just four of their wickets.

In reply, the Tigers lost their first wicket before posting any runs on the board as Kyle Jarvis trapped Liton Das lbw. Imrul Kayes and Soumya Sarkar then added 220 runs for the second wicket, which is the highest 2nd-wicket stand for Bangladesh in ODIs and is only second to Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad's 224-run partnership for the country in the 50-over format.

After scoring 46 runs off 53 balls, Soumya launched an onslaught against the visitors, starting with an over-boundary that took his tally of runs to 52. He made 71 runs off the last 39 deliveries that he faced, before finally getting dismissed by Hamilton Masakadza for 117 runs. The southpaw clubbed nine boundaries and six sixes in his 92-ball innings.

Following Soumya’s departure, Imrul also registered his second ton in the ongoing series. He added 115 runs to the total, before Wellington Masakadza got him out.

The left-handed batsman has surpassed Tamim Iqbal's record for the most runs (312) by a Bangladeshi batsman in a three-ODI bilateral series. He amassed 351 runs in the series, finishing second on the overall list of the highest run-getters in a three-match ODI series.

Bangladesh won the match with 47 balls to spare as Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun remained unbeaten on 28 and 7 runs, respectively.