Chasing just 184 to win, the home side looked in fine shape when openers Barney Rogers and Grant Flower put on 112 for the first wicket.

But Khaled Mahmud took 4-20 in a fine display of medium-pace bowling, removing three men for a duck.

Finally, captain Heath Streak ushered Zimbabwe home for a 2-1 series victory.

Bangladesh had collapsed in equally spectacular when they had batted first after winning the toss.

Half-centuries from openers Hannan Sarkar and Manjural Islam Rana were wasted as the middle order were blown away.

Left-arm spinners Flower (3-36) and Ray Price (3-38) shared five wickets as the Tigers lost their last eight wickets for just 30.

And Heath Streak (2-17) ended the innings in the 49th over when Stuart Carlisle took his third catch of the innings.

Zimbabwe were coasting to victory until former captain Mahmud struck a purple patch, claiming four wickets from only eight balls.

But from 124-6, and with some gloomy clouds and a drop or two of rain threatening a natural conclusion, Streak found an ally in Dion Ebrahim, a specialist batsman unusually batting at eight.

The pair put on 33, and when Ebrahim was run out, Gary Brent hit two boundaries to get Zimbabwe home in the 43rd over.

Streak finished unbeaten on 31 after surviving a big shout for lbw early in his innings.

Bangladesh played the match without key left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique, who had been sent home early for disciplinary reasons.