SYLHET                 -               Openers Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das put on 292 runs for the first wicket, Bangladesh’s biggest partnership in ODIs, as the hosts defeated Zimbabwe by 123 runs in the rain-affected third ODI here on Friday.

Das’ 176, scored from 143 balls, is also the highest score for Bangladesh in ODIs, passing the 158 that Tamim made in the second ODI. He was eventually dismissed as he looked to hit Carl Mumba for a third consecutive six with under three overs left in the innings. The win was Mashrafe Mortaza’s 50th as captain in ODIs, and the game also marks his final game as captain having announced before the game that he is stepping down from the role.

Mumba struck twice more in his seven remaining balls, removing Mahmudullah and Afif Hossain, but was unable to stem the runs as the hosts added a further 30 runs in the final 13 balls. Tamim finished unbeaten on 128 from 109 balls. The innings had earlier been disrupted by rain, signalling the start of Das and Tamim’s assault as they added 109 runs in 7.3 overs after the break. During this period, ill discipline with the ball and in the field cost Zimbabwe dear, as they dropped Das on three occasions, and had him caught off delivery subsequently ajudged to be a no-ball for height.

Zimbabwe’s response was quickly in trouble as Mortaza and Mohammad Saifuddin both struck in the opening salvo, leaving Sean Williams and Regis Chakabva the difficult task of rebuilding while still needing to score quickly. They managed it for a while, but debutant Afif Hossain’s introduction brought immediate reward for the hosts as he beat Williams’ outside edge to take off stump. Wesley Madhevere and Sikandar Raza provided resistance for some time, but Madhevere’s wicket in the 27th over for 42, beaten for pace by a short ball from Saifuddin which looped to point off the top edge, quickly brought two more as both Richmond Mutumbami and Tinotenda Mutombodzi were dispatched, run out and caught at slip respectively.

Donald Tiripano showed a brief glimpse of his form from the second ODI, when he struck a 28-ball 55*, hitting two sixes to get off the mark, but Taijul Islam struck again, sliding one through the gate to bowl him. Raza was finally dismissed by Saifuddin in the 38th over, caught at deep mid-wicket for a 50-ball 61, and Zimbabwe were all out next ball as Saifuddin hit Charlton Tshuma’s stumps.

Scorecard

BANGLADESH INNINGS:
Tamim Iqbal not out 128
Liton Das c Sikandar b Carl 176
Mahmudullah lbw Carl 3
Afif Hossain c Sean b Carl 7
EXTRAS: (1lb, 2nb, 5w) 8
TOTAL: (3 wkts, 43 overs) 322
FOW: 1-292, 2-312, 3-322.
BOWLING: Carl 8-0-69-3; Charlton 6-1-48-0; Sikandar 7-0-64-0; Wesley 5-0-29-0; Donald 8-0-65-0; Sean 9-1-46-0.
ZIMBABWE INNINGS:
Tinashe c Liton b Mashrafe 4
Regis Chakabva b Taijul 34
B Taylor c Mithun b Saifuddin 14
Sean Williams b Afif 30
W Madhevere c Mehidy b Saifuddin 42
Sikandar Raza c Naim b Saifuddin 61
Richmond Mutumbami run out 0
T Mutombodzi c Naim b Mustafizur 7
Donald Tiripano b Taijul 15
Carl Mumba not out 4
Charlton Tshuma b Saifuddin 0
EXTRAS: (1lb, 6w) 7
TOTAL: (all out, 37.3 overs) 218
FOW: 1-5, 2-28, 3-74, 4-113, 5-150, 6-164, 7-173, 8-202, 9-218, 10-218.
BOWLING: Mashrafe 6-0-47-1; Saifuddin 6.3-0-41-4; Mehidy 8-0-47-0; Mustafizur 6-0-32-1; Afif 2-0-12-1; Taijul 9-0-38-2.
UMPIRES: H Dharmasena, S Saikat
MATCH REFEREE: Jeffrey Crowe