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yesterday.
Needing victory to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, Zimbabwe did just that under chilly conditions at Harare Sports Club yesterday. The win earned the hosts their first ODI series win against a Test-playing nation in five years.

Pace bowlers Kyle Jarvis, Christopher Mpofu and Brian Vitori helped Zimbabwe snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
They grabbed the final five wickets when the visitors needed just 22 runs to win.
It was by far the best performance by Bangladesh on this tour but they crumbled when it mattered most.
Yesterday Zimbabwe lost the toss and were put into bat. Conditions made it difficult for the batsmen to score runs and they eventually scrambled 250/7 off their allotted 50 overs.

The total was built around a century partnership for the third wicket between Hamilton Masakadza (74) and Tatenda Taibu (83).
Bangladesh were all out for 245 with four balls remaining. Their innings were anchored by Mushfuqur Rahim who made 101 before falling in the final over.
“I was not feeling under pressure at all because I have been in situations like that before,” said Mpofu.

The tourists needed nine runs in the final over to win the game but the heroics of Mpofu in the final over saw Zimbabwe taking a 3-0 lead. With the first ball of the last over, there indeed was a lot of pressure but Mpofu seemed unmoved, acting as if it was the first ball of the game. It was this ball that gave Rahim two more runs to reach his century but he was out the next ball trying to get a boundary as Bangladesh needed six runs to win.

“This was absolutely awesome, the most exhilarating match of my life and the most dramatic for all Zimbabweans.
“I was never sure we had enough with our 250 runs effort and so it almost proved.
“It just shows that you never know in cricket. I am really proud of the team for sticking to their guns, not just in this match but for the entire tour so far,” said Zimbabwe captain Brandon Taylor after the game.

Bangladesh put up a much-improved performance yesterday and showed what they are capable of doing but it was not their day.
They were more precise with the ball and displayed a mature performance – something that they had been lacking in the last two games.
But the decision to bowl seemed to have backfired for the visitors on a wicket that has been favorable for batting throughout the series so far. With Zimbabwe in to bat first, there were early scares in the morning as Taylor (4) – who has been struggling in this series – fell victim to a Shafiul Islam delivery in the seventh over.

Soon to follow was his opening partner Vusimuzi Sibanda (27) who gave way in the 14th over after he was caught by Imrul Kayes off a Rubel Hossain delivery.
But it was the 142 run third wicket partnership of Hamilton Masakadza (74) and wicketkeeper/batsman Tatenda Taibu (83) that breathed life into the Zimbabwe defense.
In the process Masakadza scored his 17th ODI half century while Taibu grabbed his 20th in the same version of the game.

Taibu was good with the bat and played an interesting innings that comprised of eight boundaries and survived in the 19th over when he pushed a Nasir Hossain delivery to extra cover, where he was dropped by debutant Shuvagoto Hom on 16. And the Bangladeshi would rue the dropped catch as Taibu haunted them.
Craig Ervine (18) was next on the crease but he only faced 13 balls and was stumped by Rahim after he was drawn forward trying to smash Mahmudullah.

Zimbabwe added 41 runs in the last five overs with Elton Chigumbura adding a valuable 31 before Prosper Utseya and Jarvis rounded up the innings.
Zimbabwe’s total of 250 was not an easy score, but Bangladesh started their chase at a blistering pace with a run rate that was much faster in the early part of the innings.
But the fall of Tamim Iqbal – who was run out after scoring 44 – there was noone to support Rahim while Shakib Al Hassan (19) and debutante Juniad Siddique (22) were both caught and bowled by Utseya, who ended with 3-47.
Scorecard: Zimbabwe
Taylor c Siddique b S. Hossain 4
Sibanda c Kayes b R. Hossain 27
Masakadza b R. Hossain 74
Taibu c R. Hossain b Nazimul Hossain 83
Ervine st Rahim b Mahmudullah 18
Chigumbura c R. Hossain b S. Al Hassan 31
Mtizwa lbw b S. Al Hassan 2
Utseya not out 4
Jarvis not out 1
Extras (1b, 2lb, 3w) 6
Total 250
F-o-W: 1-14 (Taylor), 2-39 (Sibanda), 3-181 (Masakadza), 4-206 (Ervine), 5-217 (Taibu), 6-245 (Chigumbura), 7-245 (Mtizwa)
Did not bat: Christopher Mpofu, Brian Vetori
Bowling: S. Islam 10-2-40-1 (1w): R. Hossain 10-0-41-2 ; Nazimul Hossain 9-1-34-1 (2w); Nasir Hossain 6-0-37-0 ; Mahmudullah 9-1-49-1 ; Al Hassan 6-0-46-2.
Bangladesh
Iqbal run out (Utseya) 44
Kayes lbw b Utseya 16
Siddique c and b Utseya 12
Rahim c Sibanda b Mpofu 101
Al Hassan c and b Utseya 19
Hom run out (Vitori/Taibu) 22
Mahmudullah c Masakadza b Vitori 14
Nasir Hossain not out 0
Islam b Jarvis 1
R. Hossain b Jarvis 0
Nazimul Hossain not out 0
Extras (4lb, 2w) 6
Total 245
F-o-W: 1-50 (Kayes), 2-66 (Siddique), 3-91 Iqbal), 4-124 S. Al Haasan), 5-183 (Hom), 6-229 (Mahmadullah) 7-229 (Nazimil Hossain), 8-235 (S. Islam), 9-245 (M. Rahim).
Bowling: Vitori 10-1-45-1 (1w); Jarvis 10-0-52-2 (1w); Mpofu 9.2-1-43-2; Utseya 10-1-47-3; Masakadza 4-0-17-0; Chigumbura 6-0-37-0.