Bangladesh whitewash Zimbabwe

Sports Desk: Bangladesh completed a series whitewash over Zimbabwe with a 7-wicket win on Friday in the third and final match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

It was13th straight loss in ODIs for Zimbabwe, also their 13th successive loss against Bangladesh.

On another record-setting day for the hosts, Imrul Kayes went past Tamim Iqbal's record of most runs (312) in a three-match bilateral series against Pakistan. Kayes scored 349 runs (144, 90 & 115) in three matches against Zimbabwe.

On Friday, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Zimbabwe, thanks to Sean Williams’ 129-run innings, set 287-run target for Bangladesh, losing 5 wickets in 50 overs.

In chase, Bangladesh’s opener Liton Kumar Das made a golden-duck. But another opener Imrul Kayes along with Soumya Sarkar belted the bowlers at will and recorded the best ever partnership for any wicket - 220 - in the home soil, to seal the series.

Tigers reached the target with remaining 47 balls left.

Kayes hit 115 runs off 112 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes while Soumya 117 runs from 92 balls with 9 fours and 6 sixes.

Kayes became Man of the series for his outstanding batting while Soumya became Man of the match for his brilliant innings in the third and final match.

Unbeaten Mushfiqur Rahim (wk) hit 28 runs off 39 balls with a four and a six while Mohammad Mithun (not out) smashed 7 runs from 11 balls with a four.

For Zimbabwe, Kyle Jarvis, Wellington Masakadza and Hamilton Masakadza (c) shared a wicket.

Earlier, Sean Williams scored 129 runs off 143 balls which includes 10 fours and a six.

Wicket-keeper batsman Brendan Taylor hit a quick innings of 75 runs from 72 balls with 8 fours and 3 sixes.

Sikandar Raza scored 40 runs off 51 balls while Peter Moor (not out) 28 runs from 21 balls.

Skipper Hamilton Masakadza returned to the pavilion just for 2 runs and Elton Chigumbura (not out) completed the innings with one run.

Cephas Zhuwao made a duck.

For Bangladesh, Nazmul Islam Apu smashed two wickets while Abu Hider Rony and Saifuddin bagged a wicket each.

risingbd/Dhaka/October 26, 2018/A K Azad