Mid-way through an overcast morning, Bangladesh were in a familiar predicament: the top-order had failed and Shakib Al Hasan, the reluctant captain, was saddled with the responsibility of achieving a target his spinners could defend on a pitch that assisted turn. Having had ample practice at this challenge, Shakib went about it manfully, but he also had an able ally. His risk-free batting was at odds with Mushfiqur Rahim's impish stroke play but their 116-run stand was the bedrock of the highest total of the series. It proved more than enough.
Shakib waited only three overs before entrusting the defence of 246 to a spinner. He had to wait only three balls to see that decision yield results. Abdur Razzak continued his torment of Zimbabwe in this series: his quick strikes decapitated the chase, his economy brought it to a standstill and Bangladesh were assured of a 2-1 lead by the time the mandatory Powerplay was over.
The heart of the victory lay in the way Bangladesh, for the second time in succession, batted satisfactorily. They didn't begin in that manner, though, and were 71 for 4 in the 20th over, when Shakib and Mushfiqur began their alliance. The Zimbabwe spinners had tightened the tourniquet on the run-flow and Shakib had been watchful - a back-foot cut through point would be his only boundary for 54 balls. Little Mushfiqur, in contrast, was anything but watchful at the start of his innings, slicing Prosper Utseya just wide of the fielder at point before dispatching the next ball to the midwicket boundary with a dismissive swat.
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