Bangladesh yet again came up with ruthless performance to keep up their winning-streak in the tri-nation one-day tournament as they outclassed Zimbabwe by 91 runs yesterday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. A match, that was dead-rubber for them because of sealing the final with two matches at hands, Bangladesh didn’t show any complacency. Instead they showed the hunger and determination in keeping the momentum and it resulted in another crushing victory with bonus point. Bangladesh now won three straight matches with bonus point, pointing the fact how merciless the side was.
But the re-match against Zimbabwe wasn’t as easier as the result showed. Bangladesh’s lower middle order for the first time in the tournament was exposed in a pressurized situation but their response should send a SOS to the team management ahead of the final. Bangladesh indeed lost six wickets for 23 runs half-way through the innings before the lower order propelled them past 200 runs mark. It was the platform for the players other than Shakib, Tamim and Mushfiqur to hog the limelight but they failed miserably. Again the victory was scripted by the two stalwarts— Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.
Tamim brought up his third successive half-century and Shakib made his second in succession to help Bangladesh post 216 for nine on a tricky wicket before the latter finished with three for 34 to wrap up Zimbabwe 125 in 36.3 overs.
Shakib though stood up once again with stellar all-round performance, this time he was denied to claim third straight man of the match award. It went to Tamim Iqbal finally because of his 76 off 105 in a pitch that was really tough to bat. Much to the relief for the opener he wasn’t denied for the third straight time following his 84 not out and 84, the two outstanding batting performance that was snubbed by Shakib’s prolific all-round performance.
Shakib also contributed 80 ball-51 alongside his three-for. Pace bowlers Mustafizur Rahman, Mashrafe Mortaza and left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam picked up two apiece to complement Shakib.
Zimbabwe needed to win the match to keep an advantage over the third team in the tournament Sri Lanka but failed to deal with Shakib’s spin and Mashrafe Mortaza’s pace in the first powerplay.
Together they sliced the top order, leaving African nation 34 for four in 9.2 overs before Sikandar Raza and Peter Moor offered some resistance. Pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman kept the pressure, delivering three straight maiden overs, which worked well for left arm spinner Sunzamul Islam.
Sunzamul dealt a double blow in consecutive deliveries to dismiss Moor (14) and Malcolm Waller and Mustafizur then returned to his second spell to clean up the tail, including the wicket of Zimbabwe’s highest scorer Sikandar Raza for 39.
Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer was instrumental in keeping the target small, claiming four for 32.
His googly sparked Bangladesh’s collapse from a position of dominance as it appeared set for a big total, thanks to Tamim who became highest scorer of his side for the third straight time in the tournament.
Tamim looked set to convert it to a century after failing on the previous two occasions having scored 84 not out and 84.  Cremer outfoxed him with a googly that he failed to read. However when he was 66, he became the first Bangladeshi batsman to score 6000 runs in ODI cricket.
Bangladesh lost Anamul Haque (1) cheaply after captain Maashrafe Mortaza decided to bat first but Tamim and Shakib Al Hasan kept the side in right track, combining for 106 for the second wicket.
Sikandar Raza broke through with the wicket of Shakib as he tried to charge the bowler, only to be stumped by Breandan Taylor.  Tamim and Mushfiqur negotiated the bowlers well until Cremer returned to bowl in his second spell. Fast bowler Kyle Jarvis gave him strong support as Bangladesh lost six wickets for 23 runs. Sunzamul’s 19 and Mustafizur Rahman’s 18 not out toward the end helped Bangladesh finally go past 200 runs mark.

SCOREBOARD
Bangladesh innings:    
Tamim st Taylor b Cremer     76
Anamul lbw b Jarvis     1
Shakib st Taylor b Raza     51
Mushfiqur c Muzarabani b Cremer 18
M Riyad lbw b Cremer     2
Sabbir c Ervine b Jarvis     6
Nasir c Taylor b Jarvis     2
Mashrafe c Taylor b Cremer     0
Sunzamul c Muzarabani b Chatara     19
Mustafizur not out     18
Rubel Hossain not out     8
Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 12)     15
TOTAL (50 overs; 9 wickets)     216
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-112,
3-147, 4-156, 5-163, 6-167,
7-168, 8-170, 9-196.
BOWLING    O    M    R    W
K Jarvis    9    0    42    3
T Chatara    7    0    33    1
B Muzarabani    7    0    36    0
S Raza    10    1    39    1
A Cremer    10    0    32    4
M Waller    7    0    32    0
Zimbabwe Innings:
H Masakadza c Sabbir b Mashrafe     5
S Mire b Shakib Al Hasan     7
C Ervine c Sabbir b Mashrafe     11
B Taylor lbw b Shakib     0
S Raza b Mustafizur     39
P Moor lbw b Sunzamul     14
M Waller lbw b Sunzamul     0
A Cremer (lbw b Rubel     23
K Jarvis c M Riyad b Mustafizur 10
T Chatara c Sabbir b Shakib     8
B Muzarabani not out     0
Extras (W-8)     8
TOTAL (all out in 36.3 overs)     125
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-20, 3-20, 4-34, 5-68, 6-68, 7-95, 8-107, 9-118, 10-125.
BOWLING    O    M    R    W
Shakib    9    2    34    3
Mashrafe     6    0    29    2
Sunzamul     10    0    28    2
Mustafizur     6.3    3    16    2
Rubel    5    1    18    1