Pacers set up Zimbabwe's stunning defence of 141

Nahid Rana recorded career-best figures of 6 for 21, the best by a Bangladesh player in ODI cricket, but his efforts went in vain as a collective bowling performance helped Zimbabwe prevail in a low-scoring first ODI in Harare.

Reeling under Rana's pace and bounce, the hosts were bowled out for 141 after being asked to bat, with No. 9 Newman Nyamhuri (33) being the highest run-getter. Zimbabwe then used only four bowling options, all pacers, to bowl Bangladesh out for 116. Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava bagged three wickets apiece while Blessing Muzarabani and Nyamhuri picked up two each to star in Zimbabwe's 25-run win.

Zimbabwe's innings unravelled after a fluent opening stand of 36. The openers looked in control until Ben Curran was run out off the fourth ball of the seventh over. Two deliveries later, Taskin Ahmed accounted for Brian Bennett before Rana burst into the attack and triggered a collapse.

Zimbabwe slipped to 38 for 3 when Taskin bowled Craig Ervine. From there, Rana's sheer pace took centre stage, hurried the batters with sharp lift and relentless hostility, adding the wickets of Sikandar Raza, Wessly Madhevere, Clive Madande, Innocent Kaia and Evans as Zimbabwe slipped to 70 for 8.

Richard Ngarava and Nyamhuri offered resistance with a gritty 63-run partnership, bringing up Zimbabwe's 100. The stand ended when Rana picked up his sixth wicket, bowling Ngarava for 27. Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz wrapped up the innings in the 37th over with the wicket of Nyamhuri.

Zimbabwe needed early wickets and got them as Muzarabani and Ngarava reduced the visitors to 17 for 3. Tanzid Hasan Tamim was caught at fine leg off Muzarabani, Najmul Hossain Shanto at third man, and Soumya Sarkar top-edged to third man off Ngarava.

A watchful 49-run partnership between Towhid Hridoy and Nurul Hasan ended when Nyamhuri got extra bounce to cause Hridoy's downfall. Mosaddek Hossain fell in Nyamhuri's next over, leaving Bangladesh at 74 for 5.

Mehidy was dismissed by the short ball, and from 89 for 6 it became 99 for 8 as Nurul was trapped in front and Rishad Hossain edged to slip, both dismissed by Evans. Taskin fell soon after, leaving Bangladesh at 105 for 9. Ngarava returned to dismiss Mustafizur Rahman, wrapping up the game in the 34th over.

Brief scores: Zimbabwe 141 in 36.4 overs (Newman Nyamhuri 33, Richard Ngarava 27; Nahid Rana 6-21, Taskin Ahmed 2-32) beat Bangladesh 116 in 33.1 overs (Nurul Hasan 31; Brad Evans 3-34, Richard Ngarava 3-31, Blessing Muzarabani 2-24) by 25 runs.