Brilliant centuries from Innocent Kaia and the in-form Sikandar Raza guided Zimbabwe to a five-wicket win over profligate Bangladesh in the first of three ODIs at Harare Sports Club Friday.
Defending 303/2, Bangladesh bowlers and fielders did not have the best of days, be it ground fielding or catching and Zimbabwe fully capitalized, thanks to a superb 192-run stand for the fourth wicket between Kaia and Raza.
The hosts were in early trouble in pursuit of the competitive target, losing both their openers – Regis Chakabva (two) and Tarisai Musakanda (four) – before Wessley Madhevere (19) too departed soon after.
Kaia and Raza then constructed their match-winning partnership as the former grabbed his maiden ODI hundred and the latter his fourth.
Kaia was dismissed for a 122-ball 110, featuring 11 fours and a couple of sixes, but Raza was unbeaten at the end on 135 off 109, studded with eight fours and half a dozen sixes, as Zimbabwe reached their destination with 10 balls to spare.
Earlier, Liton Das was among four batters to post half centuries as the tourists made 303/2 in their 50 overs after Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bowl.
Anamul Haque struck 73 runs, captain Tamim Iqbal 62 and Mushfiqur Rahim unbeaten 52 for the visitors, who beat the West Indies 3-0 in an ODI series last month.
Liton and Tamim put on 119 for the first wicket before being separated when the skipper was caught at short thirdman by Kaia after skewing off a top edge.
Bangladesh were 171/1 when Liton retired and they added a further 96 before Wellington Musakanda caught Anamul at long-on.
All the Zimbabwe bowlers struggled with wicket-takers Victor Nyauchi and Raza conceding 113 runs between them.
The ODI matches form the second half of a tour with Zimbabwe winning a three-match Twenty20 series 2-1 thanks to a 10-run victory last Tuesday at the same venue.
Opening batsman-wicketkeeper Chakabva captained the home team in place of injured Craig Ervine while former skipper Sean Williams was unavailable.
Bangladesh, who have been victorious in seven out of nine bilateral ODI series against all the opponents since 2019, won 19 consecutive ODIs against Zimbabwe prior to Friday but the African side finally brought an end to that long winning run.
Bangladesh (Playing XI): Tamim Iqbal (c), Liton Das, Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Shariful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Regis Chakabva (c), Innocent Kaia, Wessley Madhevere, Tarisai Musakanda, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Victor Nyauchi, Richard Ngarava, Wellington Masakadza