Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal heaped praise on the performance of fast bowler Ebadat Hossain, a key component of the side to quell the scare of whitewash that looked increasingly likely after the side's moderate total in the third and final ODI against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club Wednesday.
After compiling 303 and 290 in the first two matches, that they lost by identical five wickets, Bangladesh amassed just 256/9 in the final game, which raised a prospect of being swept by Zimbabwe after 21 years.
However Test regular Ebadat, who made his ODI debut, marked his presence in style, taking the key wicket of Sikandar Raza for golden duck.
He also removed Wessly Madhevere in the previous delivery and left Zimbabwe at tricky 18/4.
Raza hit 135 not out and 117 not out in the first two games to help Zimbabwe win their first series against Bangladesh after nine years.
Here in this match, his dismissal threw Zimbabwe out of the game completely.
And Tamim thought that was the decisive moment of the game.
"We have been carrying him (Ebadat) for a long time, I was surprised he wasn't included in the playing XI," Tamim said after the match.
"Luckily he was available for this last game, and he delivered."
Tamim also praised the effort of young Afif Hossain who was key in helping the side go past 250-run mark with a brilliant 81-ball 85 not out.
The platform was set by Tamim's opening partner Anamul Haque who blasted 71-ball 76.
"At one point I thought we were struggling. The way Afif batted, it was pleasing to see. He was timing the ball well, he batted extremely well. When you have lost games scoring 300, 250 looks like 200. Luckily we got the five wickets early, and that was good for us."
Raza, who led Zimbabwe in this match in the absence of temporary captain Regis Chakabva and regular skipper Craig Ervine, unsurprisingly was adjudged man of the series.
But he rued losing the final match and thus missing out on a whitewash over a Full Member for the first time since 2001.
Earlier, he also inspired the side to victory in the T20I series, which was Zimbabwe's first ever series win against Bangladesh in the shortest format.
"It would have been nice to win the game again. But I didn't get the runs, I'll work hard and look forward to the next series," Raza said.
"A lot of work is done in the nets, I keep my emotions in check. I try to plan and play according to the opposition. For me it's all about training. It has been not easy as we missed the big guns in the dressing room. (Richard) Ngarava bowled well, (Luke) Jongwe too. There are a lot of good things happening in the dressing room. This result wouldn't have been possible without the love and support of the crowd."
