HARARE, Feb 5: Zimbabwe crashed to their 13th successive one-day defeat when they were beaten by 45 runs by Bangladesh in the opening game of a four-match One-day International series at the Harare Sports Club here on Sunday.

Set 261 to win, the home side slumped to 215 all out.

Top scorer was Justice Chibhabha, who contributed 57, while Vusi Sibanda made 46, but their partnership of 72 from 132 balls was made at a painfully slow rate and put the home side well behind the required rate.

It was captain Habibul Bashar who set up the Bangladesh innings in the first place with 78 off 87 balls and by Saqibul Hasan with 68.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH:

Shahriar Nafees run out 34

Mehrab Hossain Jr c Masakadza b Ireland 12

Aftab Ahmed c Masakadza b Chigumbura 31

Saqibul Hasan c Williams b Brent 68

Habibul Bashar c Chigumbura b Ireland 78

M. Ashraful c Mufambisi b Mpofu 22

Mohammad Rafique b Ireland 3

Mashrafe Mortaza c Brent b Mpofu 1

Mushfiqur Rahim run out 1

Abdur Razzak not out 1

Shahadat Hossain not out 0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-6, W-1) 9

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 260

FALL OF WKTS: 1-34, 2-68, 3-93, 4-198, 5-248, 6-255, 7-256, 8-258, 9-260.

BOWLING: Mpofu 8-0-39-2; Ireland 10-1-41-3; Chigumbura 10-0-58-1; Brent 9-1-44-1; Utseya 10-0-51-0; Williams 3-0-25-0.

ZIMBABWE:

T. Duffin b Shahadat 2

V. Sibanda b Saqibul 46

C.J. Chibhabha c Mushfiqur b Rafique 57

H. Masakadza c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 31

S.C. Williams c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 2

T.V. Mufambisi c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 2

E. Chigumbura b Mashrafe 47

G.B. Brent run out 2

P. Utseya c and b Abdur Razzak 6

C.P. Mpofu c Mashrafe b Abdur Razzak 4

A.J. Ireland not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-9, NB-4) 16

TOTAL (all out, 49 overs) 215

FALL OF WKTS: 1-10, 2-82, 3-142, 4-149, 5-151, 6-165, 7-187, 8-206, 9-211.

BOWLING: Shahadat Hossain 8-0-48-1; Mashrafe Mortaza 9-0-31-4; Mohammad Rafique 10-0-40-1; Saqibul Hasan 10-0-37-2; Abdur Razzak 10-1-44-2; Mehrab Hossain 2-0-15-0.

RESULT: Bangladesh won by 45 runs.—AFP