Zimbabwe won the five-match One-Day International series 3-2 but Bangladesh restored some pride by winning the last two games.
“We went on holiday. Bangladesh came back and played better cricket,” Zimbabwe coach Alan Butcher said. “We knew that from our experience of playing them in the past that they had more to offer than they showed in the first two games.”
Shakib top-scored with 79 runs at Queens Sports Club, facing 71 balls in a knock that included five boundaries and a six. The 24-year-old Bangladesh skipper shared a crucial sixth-wicket stand of 107 runs with Mahmudullah, who was unbeaten on 60 from 67 balls as the visitors reached 253-6.
Right-arm spinner Mahmudullah then tore through Zimbabwe’s fragile middle-order to put the Asian side on top to end with figures of 3-13 from four overs. He removed Malcolm Waller (51), Elton Chigumbura (1) and Prosper Utseya (7) as Zimbabwe was bowled out for 160.
Zimbabwe allrounder Keegan Meth didn’t bat after being hit in the mouth with the ball, losing a tooth in the process.
Shakib was out on the last ball of the 48th over as he looked to push on in the final five overs, bowled by a full delivery from medium-pacer Keegan Meth, who is playing for the first time in the series after replacing pace bowler Kyle Jarvis.
Openers Tamim Iqbal (45) and Imrul Kayes (9) gave the visitors a steady start, putting on 30 for the first wicket before Kayes got a thick outside-edge to wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu off Meth.
Mohammad Ashraful, back in the side after missing the last two ODIs, was out on 15 when he nicked an angling delivery from Elton Chigumbura to Taibu in the 17th over.
Price opened his account when Mushfiqur Rahim was caught by Vusi Sibanda after attempting a sweep. The spinner completed his three-wicket haul by removing Mushfiqur Rahim (20) and Shuvagoto Hom (3).
Zimbabwe spinner Ray Price led the home side with figures of 3-51.
After posting 253, Bangladesh’s spinners were also going to play a big role, especially on a turning wicket.
Shakib also bowled his left-arm spin, taking 2-26. He took the vital wicket of in-form opener Vusi Sibanda (34) and Tatenda Taibu (7) with Zimbabwe looking nothing like the side that dominated the one-off test and then raced to a series 3-0 lead.
Brian Vitori was named man-of-the-series after the 21-year-old swing bowler took two five-wicket hauls in the first two matches in Harare.
