The loss after a three-day Eid break leaves the home side 2-0 down in the five-match series. Bangladesh went down by 22 runs in the first match in Dhaka on January 20.

The Tigers now must win the third match here tomorrow to keep the series alive against a constantly improving Zimbabwe side.

Zimbabwe skipper Tatenda Taibu did not hesitate to bat first after winning the toss for the second match in a row. The visitors made full use of an easy-paced wicket to post 237-5 thanks to a sparkling all-round display by Barney Rogers and a combative 84-run stand between Taibu and Elton Chigumbura in just 55 balls for the unbroken sixth wicket.

Bangladesh, in their chase, managed only 206 before being bundled out in 47.1 overs.

Left-handed opener Rogers made 66 off 85 balls studded with nine boundaries. But the Zimbabwe innings flourished at the end with Taibu hitting a responsible 64 off 80 deliveries and Chigumbura smashing a quickfire 30. The pair took the match away from the firm grip of the hosts, clobbering 93 runs in the final ten overs with 58 coming in the last five.

Taibu hit three sixes, two coming off one Mashrafee prodigal over. The Narail quick, who gave away just nine runs in his first six overs, conceded 32 in his final three. The free-scoring Chigumbura also struck three mighty sixes including two off occasional bowler Rajin Saleh.

Bangladesh, who lost the first match in Dhaka by 22 runs, started the chase promisingly with local boy Nafees Iqbal hitting his maiden ODI fifty and skipper Habibul Bashar scoring 44 off 62 balls in a 90-run third wicket stand after opener Rajin and Aftab Ahmed fell cheaply.

Nafees entertained the strong 8,000-home crowd with 58 that included five fours in 65 balls. But once both set batsmen fell in successive deliveries of the 30th over, the wheels fell of Bangladesh's cart.

In stark contrast to Zimbabwe's last ten-over assault, Bangladesh crumbled one after another while still needing to score at just over five runs an over, which was very much on the cards considering they had plenty of wickets in hand.

Needing 108 runs from the last 20 overs with six wickets intact, the Tigers suddenly lost the appetite to fight with Manzarul Islam, Khaled Mahmud and Mohammad Ashraful departing in the space of five runs under self-inflicted pressure.

Khaled Mashud fought a lost battle with 23 not out off 26 balls.

The only high point in a disappointing display was the outstanding bowling of young left-arm spinner Enamul Haque.

Making his one-day debut after his 18-wicket haul in the Test series, Enamul dispatched Hamilton Masakadza and Rogers in successive overs to finish with 2-37 from ten overs.