Bangladesh outclassed Zimbabwe by four wickets in the third T20 to secure the series, ending a disappointing tour with high at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo today.
It was Bangladesh's only success of the tour after suffering an innings and 85-run defeat in the lone Test and losing the three-match ODI series 2-1.
They had also dropped the opening T20, raising the prospect of a clean sweep across all formats before bouncing back to win the final two matches.
Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim anchored the chase with an unbeaten 66 off 58 balls, his second successive half-century, as Bangladesh reached 144-6 with two balls to spare after restricting Zimbabwe to 143-7.
Tanzid who struck one four and four sixes stitched two important partnerships-- 55 runs for the second wicket with Parvez Hossain Emon (24) and 63 for the third wicket with captain Towhid Hridoy (24), steering Bangladesh towards victory after Richard Ngarava removed Saif Hasan for 4 in the opening over.
Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza dismissed both Emon and Hridoy to briefly revive the hosts' hopes before late drama unfolded in the final over.
Brad Evans removed Mosaddek Hossain Saikat and Mohammad Saifuddin off successive balls to leave Bangladesh needing four runs in three balls. Mahedi Hasan, however, held his nerve and struck the winning boundary to complete the chase.
Earlier, Dion Myers waged a lone battle with an unbeaten 73 off 53 balls, smashing seven fours and two sixes as he contributed more than half of Zimbabwe's total.
Opener Brian Bennett made 38 off 47 deliveries with eight boundaries and shared a 71-run second-wicket partnership with Myers after Tadiwanashe Marumani fell for 4 to Mahedi Hasan.
Mohammad Saifuddin broke the stand by dismissing Bennett, while Bangladesh's disciplined bowling and sharp fielding prevented Zimbabwe from capitalising on the platform. The visitors also effected two run-outs in the closing stages.
Saifuddin was Bangladesh's most successful bowler with 2-35, while Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain and Abdul Gaffar Saqlain claimed one wicket apiece.
Bangladesh will return home on Monday before turning their attention to a historic two-match Test series in Australia, their first Test tour there in 23 years.
'Team effort'
Tanzid credited the bowlers for laying the foundation of the series-clinching victory, saying patience and partnerships were the keys to his match-winning innings.
Tanzid expressed delight after being named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
"First of all, Alhamdulillah, we won the series. It's an amazing feeling," Tanzid said after the match.
He praised the bowlers for restricting Zimbabwe to a manageable total on a challenging batting surface.
"I think our bowlers did a really good job. They bowled very nicely on that wicket. We knew the first six overs weren't easy to bat on, so I was trying to build a partnership and play as long as possible," he said.
Explaining his batting approach, the left-handed opener said he focused on keeping things simple instead of forcing the pace.
"I tried not to play too hard, just watch the ball and play on merit. That's the main thing," he said.
Tanzid also highlighted the significance of the series victory after Bangladesh endured defeats in both the one-off Test and the three-match ODI series earlier in the tour.
"It's feeling amazing because we lost the last two series in the Tests and ODIs, so winning the last series is a really amazing feeling. I hope the boys are enjoying it too," he added.
Reflecting on the tense closing stages of the chase, Tanzid said he remained composed despite watching from the non-striker's end in the final over.
"I was trying to keep myself normal. I believed that if I stayed at the wicket, I could easily finish the match. That's what I believed in that situation," he said.
