Zimbabwe get their revenge

Zimbabwe gained a degree of revenge for their recent Test series loss to Bangladesh by taking the opening one-day international in Dhaka.

The tourists survived a late comeback from Bangladesh's lower order to emerge victorious by 22 runs after dismissing the home side for 229 from 48.1 overs.

Zimbabwe had earlier made 251 for eight with Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza both hitting half centuries.

In reply, Bangladesh started reasonably well with Rajin Saleh and Nafis Iqbal putting on 34 for the first wicket.

Iqbal was first to go for 12 although the momentum continued with captain Habibul Bashar joining Saleh at the crease.

The pair put on 36 for the second wicket before Saleh (40) tried to slog a ball from Christopher Mpofu and only succeeded in holing out to Stuart Matsikenyeri at midwicket.

Bashar and Mohammad Ashraful took the score on to 119 before the former's dismissal for 39 sparked a middle-order collapse.

The wickets of Aftab Ahmed (1), Alok Kapali (4) and Khaled Mashud (3) were all claimed by Douglas Hondo as Zimbabwe got on top.

Ashraful's innings of 42 then came to an end and despite late resistance from Khaled Mahmud (34) and Tapash Baisya (33 not out) it proved the undoing of Bangladesh as Zimbabwe's under-strength team celebrated a rare victory.

Earlier, Taylor and Masakadza had enabled Zimbabwe to set Bangladesh a challenging target of 252.

The early dismissals of Barney Rogers and Dion Ebrahim left the tourists struggling on 14 for two but Masakadza, in tandem with opener Matsikenyeri, put them back on track.

And when Matsikenyeri (33) was out, with Masakadza following shortly afterwards having made a fine 54 from 63 balls, Taylor (58) was there to maintain the momentum.

Captain Tatenda Taibu added support with 28 while Elton Chigumbura's explosive 41 from 32 balls provided the lower order spark needed to take the score past the 200 mark.