The Tigers, who have taken a 2-1 lead, will need to beat the hosts in today's final match to boost their morale ahead of the World Cup.

Bangladesh recovered from a poor start to post a respectable 228 for nine after being asked to bat in bowler-friendly conditions, thanks to a 100-run partnership between opener Shahriar Nafees and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim for the fourth wicket.

They later contained Zimbabwe to 214 in 49.4 overs.

The Zimbabwe openers threatened a repeat of their eight-wicket victory in the second match when Vusi Sibanda (64) and Terrence Duffin (37) put on 91 runs despite a tidy spell by new ball bowler Mashrafee-bin Mortuza, who conceded just 12 runs in his first five overs.

The home side, who lost the first match by 45 runs, however, lost their momentum as the Tigers slow bowlers pinned them down with backing of tight fielding. Sakib Al Hasan, in particular, was very economic in his ten-over spell, taking 1-29 apart from effecting two run outs.

In a seesaw battle, Zimbabwe once again looked favourites when the middle-order repaired the damage and reached within 30 runs of victory with five wickets and as many overs remaining but as the pressure mounted on the tail, they lost the last five wickets in the space 12 runs.

Cricinfo adds: Still smarting from their drubbing on Tuesday, Bangladesh made three changes but their start was again poor.

Under grey skies, they had an immediate let off when Tamim Iqbal, making his international debut, was dropped by Sibanda at second slip off the first ball of the match. It was a brief reprieve as soon after Tamim, on five, top edged a wild slash to third man where Gary Brent, running far to his left, took brilliant diving catch.

The Tigers' reckless approach continued when Aftab Ahmed perished in a similar way, top edging an attempted hook only to be caught by Christopher Mpofu in the deep on one.

All that was needed was for Bangladesh to play with caution against the seaming ball and wait for one of the many bad deliveries to put away. However, they showed little inclination to do that.

At the toss Habibul Bashar pledged team would be circumspect for the first ten overs; his words sadly did seem to get through to his batsmen.

In the ninth over Chigumbura replaced Mpofu and straight away Sakib Al Hasan (11) drove loosely at one that moved away, and with little footwork all he managed was an edge to Brendan Taylor.

Unlike Tuesday's pathetic collapse, Nafees and Rahim dug in and after stopping the slide, they proceeded to open up as the gloom descended. The pair took the score to 136 in the 32nd over, but Zimbabwe struck back with three quick wickets, the slump set in motion when Rahim -- promoted to number five -- pulled Brent lamely to midwicket. He grafted 42 off 68 balls with help of four boundaries.

Left-handed Nafees, who had started slowly before opening up, played some good drives but fell tamely, deceived by a slower flighted ball from Keith Dabengwa which he tried to turn to leg only to spoon a leading edge to mid-on. The vice-captain topscored with 69, laced with ten fours in 96 deliveries.

Bashar remained, maintaining a steady run-rate with a 54-ball 31 despite a short break when the drizzle became too heavy. With Mashrafee-bin-Mortuza, he added 51 for the seventh wicket. Mashrafee whacked two big sixes, the second of which lost the ball, before he played over a yorker which sent his middle stump cartwheeling. He also hit a boundary in a quickfire 29 off 24 balls.

Bashar was run-out soon after, but the tail wagged enough with Tapash Baisya also launching two sixes in his unbeaten 18 from 14 balls to make most of Zimbabwe's erratic bowling and poor fielding.