HARARE: Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal led from the front, smashing a 97-ball 112 to help the visitors win the ODI series 3-0.

Tamim's stunning knock included eight fours and three sixes, laying the groundwork for a five-wicket win in the third and final ODI.

Bangladesh has increased their lead in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League table (powered by MRF Tyres) to 80 points with another ten points.

Bangladesh got off to a fast start in their chase of 299. Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das, the openers, kept the scoreboard ticking, with Tamim being the aggressor in the partnership.

The Bangladesh captain reached fifty in the 14th over, but the stand fell short of 100 when Wesley Madhevere bowled Liton out for 32 in the same over.

Shakib Al Hasan, who had scored a match-winning 96* the previous game, began similarly but fell to Luke Jongwe after edging one to the keeper after a 42-ball 30.

The wicket did not slow Tamim, who brought up his 14th ODI century, also his fourth against Zimbabwe.

Tamim added another half-century stand after Shakib's dismissal, this time with Mohammad Mithun. A double-strike from Donald Tiripano in the 35th over, however, shifted the momentum slightly in the hosts' favour.

Tiripano dismissed a set Tamim before catching Mahmudullah for a duck on the next delivery. With about 90 runs to go, Zimbabwe had a good chance of further crippling Bangladesh.

However, Mithun (30) and Nurul Hasan (45*) added another fifty for the fifth wicket, effectively ending Zimbabwe's comeback. Bangladesh reached the target with two overs to spare thanks to Nurul's unbeaten innings.

Tamim asked Zimbabwe to bat first after winning the toss. Regis Chakabva and Tadiwanashe Marumani started slowly but steadily.

They were cautious but used the poorer deliveries to their advantage. However, a change in bowling brought about a turnaround in Bangladesh's fortunes.

Tamim handed the ball to Shakib Al Hasan, who delivered, breaking the 36-run opening stand. He trapped Marumani in front on 8. 

Brendan Taylor, Zimbabwe's captain, was the next man in. He hit a couple of beautiful fours but couldn't convert the start into anything meaningful, as Mahmudullah caught him for 28. 

Dion Myers then joined forces with Chakabva to help Zimbabwe's innings.

Both batsmen performed admirably in the middle overs. Chakabva raised a patient half-century. However, the fledgling stand was finally broken when Mahmudullah struck again in the 30th over to bowl Myers (34) out.

Mustafizur Rahman (2) joined the party and removed the newly arrived Wesley Madhevere (3) in the very next over.

Sikandar Raza was the more enterprising of the two. He took his time settling in, but he soon upped the ante. Despite Chakabva's (84) dismissal in the 35th over, Raza and Ryan Burl did not back down and continued to attack the bowlers.

The half-century sixth-wicket stand arrived quickly. The 47th over yielded 22 runs, and both batsmen had reached their fifties by then.

The next three overs were a landslide, with Bangladesh raking wickets and preventing Zimbabwe from adding to their strong score. In the final over, the hosts were bowled out for 298.

Edited - SportsAction / Inputs - Agency