Zimbabwe, having already lost their first two matches last week against the home side and Afghanistan, won the toss and opted to field first, but had to watch as Nazmul Shanto and Liton Das put on 49 for the first wicket. Both fell in short order, Shanto for 11, caught and bowled by Kyle Jarvis, and Das for 38, caught by Neville Madziva off the bowling of Christopher Mpofu, having hit two sixes. Then Ryan Burl had Shakib-Al-Hasan- caught by Sean Williams.
However, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah put on 78 for the fifth wicket, with Mahmudullah in particularly aggressive form. Mushfiqur fell in the 17th over for 32, caught behind off Tinotenda Mutombozi, and there was a flurry of late wickets, as Bangladesh chased quick runs, Mahmudullah, who had hit 5 sixes, fell in the last over for 62, caught by Sean Williams off Jarvis, but he had helped his side reach 175 – 7.
Zimbabwe’s reply started in disastrous fashion, with Brendan Taylor out off the first ball of the innings, caught by Shakib off Mohammad Saifuddin. Regis Chakabva was bowled by Shakib for a duck, and when Williams was caught off Shafiul Islam, the visitors had been reduced to 6 – 3.
Captain Hamilton Masakadza and Mutombodzi added 27, but Mutombodzi was caught by Shanto of Aminul Islam for 11, with Burl bowled by Shafiul soon afterwards. When Masakadza departed for 25 in the next over to Aminul, all hopes for the Zimbabweans were fading.
Richmond Mutumbami and Madziva did though put out on 23 and, after Madziva was run out, Jarvis and Mutumbami showed some defiance with a stand of 58, although by this time Zimbabwe were well adrift of the required run rate. Mutumbami, who had hit 3 sixes, eventually fell for 54, caught off the bowling of Shafiul, and then Jarvis, who had hot 2 sixes of his own, fell in the last over to the bowling of Mustafizur. Ainsley Ndlovu fell off the last ball of the innings to Mustafizur, as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 136.
The result means that Bangladesh and Afghanistan will meet in the final of the Tri-Nation series next Tuesday.