Bangladesh pacer Mohammad Saifuddin defended 21 runs in the final overs as the Tigers won the third T20I of the five-match series by nine runs at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Tuesday.

The win saw the hosts clinch the series as they went 3-0 up in the series, with two matches to go in Dhaka.

Chasing 166, Zimbabwe lost their eighth wicket at the start of the 15th over, with 91 runs on the board, still needing 75 from the the last 35 balls. It seemed a task too stiff for the visitors but tailenders Faraz Akram and Wellington Masakadza put on a 54-run stand to keep their side in the contest. Akram was the main aggressor as he smashed two sixes and as many fours in a 19-ball 34-run blitz and got the Chevrons close by taking Saifuddin for 18 runs in the 17th over. 

With 21 needed in the last over, Blessing Muzarabani smacked two fours but failed to put away the next two balls. 

Saifuddin stood out in terms of wickets taken as he returned three for 42 from his four, while leg-spinner Rishad Hossain scalped two, giving away 38 runs.

Earlier, Towhid Hridoy's maiden T20I half-century and Jaker Ali's brisk innings helped Bangladesh post 165-5.

Hridoy made 57 off 38 balls and Jaker made 44 off 34 balls and put together an 87-run partnership off 58 balls that rescued the team after they were 60-3 in nine overs.

Both Hridoy and Jaker fell to pacer Blessing Muzarabani in the penultimate over, failing to cope with his toe-crushing yorkers.

Muzarabani was the standout bowler for Zimbabwe, finishing with 3-14 in his four overs.

In the final over, Rishad Hossain (six off four) hit a four and Mahmudullah (nine off four) hit a couple of more boundaries to take 16 runs off Faraz Akram's over and push the score to 165-5, the highest so far in the series. 

Earlier, Bangladesh were put into bat by Zimbabwe. Liton Das and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's lean run with the bat continued, as they made 12 off 15 balls and six off four respectively.

Zimbabwe on the brink of defeat with eight down

Zimbabwe are on the brink of defeat as they had lost eight wickets for 107 on the board after 15 overs in pursuit of a 166-run target against Bangladesh in the third T20I against Bangladesh in Chattogram today.

Tailenders Wellington Masakadza and Faraz Akram were in the middle for the visitors who needed 69 in the last five overs to win. 

Zimbabwe in trouble with five down 

Zimbabwe were under the cosh after they lost half their side, with the score board reading 65 runs for the loss of five after 11 overs in the third T20I against Bangladesh in Chattogram today.

The Chevrons lost their skipper Sikandar Raza (one off five) in the eighth over when leg-spinner Rishad Hossain nicked off the right-handed batter to leave the victors four down for 48, and part-time option Mahmudullah Riyad got in on the act when he removed opener Tadiwanashe Marumani two over later after the left-handed batter scored a 26-ball 31. 

Saifuddin, Sakib strike in Powerplay

Mohammad Saifuddin struck twice and Tanzim Hasan Sakib claimed one wicket in the Powerplay for Bangladesh as Zimbabwe are 33-3 after six overs, chasing 166 in the third T20I at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

Saifuddin was the first to strike, as he induced a top edge from the bat of Joylord Gumbie (nine off eight balls) in the second ball of the second over which was easily caught by Mahmudullah at the third man boundary.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who is playing his first match of the series, came into the attack in the fifth over and found success almost immediately, taking an easy return catch to dismiss Brian Bennet for five off eight.

Saifuddin claimed his second wicket in the last ball of the Powerplay, when Craig Ervine played on a delivery onto his stumps after making a run-a-ball seven.

Opener Tadiwanashe Marumani and skipper Sikandar Raza are now in the middle, unbeaten on 12 and 0 respectively.

Hridoy, Jaker power Bangladesh to 165-5

Towhid Hridoy's maiden T20I half-century and Jaker Ali's brisk innings helped Bangladesh post 165-5 in the third T20I against Zimbabwe at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

Hridoy made 57 off 38 balls and Jaker made 44 off 34 balls and put together an 87-run partnership off 58 balls that rescued the team after they were 60-3 in nine overs.

Both Hridoy and Jaker fell to pacer Blessing Muzarabani in the penultimate over, failing to cope with his toe-crushing yorkers.

Muzarabani was the standout bowler for Zimbabwe, finishing with 3-14 in his four overs.

In the final over, Rishad Hossain (six off four) hit a four and Mahmudullah (nine off four) hit a couple of more boundaries to take 16 runs off Faraz Akram's over and push the score to 165-5, the highest so far in the series. 

Earlier, Bangladesh were put into bat by Zimbabwe. Liton Das and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's lean run with the bat continued, as they made 12 off 15 balls and six off four respectively.

Hridoy departs after maiden T20I fifty

Towhid Hridoy brought up his maiden half-century in T20Is before perishing for a well-made 57 off 38 balls in the penultimate over, as Bangladesh reached 147-4 with nine balls left to go in their innings in the third T20I against Zimbabwe in Chattogram today.

Hridoy hit three fours and two sixes in his splendid innings and formed an 87-run stand with Jaker Ali off 58 balls before falling to a yorker from pacer Blessing Muzarabani, Zimbabwea's standout bowler in the match so far.

Jaker, who is batting on 44 off 33 balls, has now been joined by Mahmudullah.

Hridoy, Jaker bring up fifty stand, Tigers on the charge

Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali are starting to cut loose against the Zimbabwean bowlers to give the Bangladesh innings some much needed impetus, as the hosts have reached 112-3 after 15 overs in the third T20I in Chattogram today.

Hridoy and Jaker hit one six each against Raza in the 13th over which went for 16 runs and then Hridoy hit a boundary off Faraz Akram to take nine off the following over to bring up the team's 100.

Jaker hit a four through the covers off Luke Jongwe in the second ball of the 15th over and got four more runs when two Zimbabwean fielders stood still, expecting the other one to go for the catch at the cow corner boundary as the ball first bounced inside the ropes and then trickled to the ropes.

That boundary also brought up their 50-run stand off just 35 balls.

Hridoy is batting on 38 off 27 balls while Jaker is on 29 off 22.

Bangladesh three down inside 10 overs

Bangladesh lost their third wicket, with Tanzid Hasan Tamim departing for 21 off 22 balls, as they have reached 63-3 at the halfway point of their innings in the third T20I against Zimbabwe at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

Tanzid came down the track and tried to hit Faraz Akram for a six over mid-wicket but got caught well inside the ropes by Clive Madande. 

Jaker Ali (one) has now joined Towhid Hridoy, who has moved onto 18 off 15 balls.

Liton, Shanto gone inside Powerplay

Bangladesh made a poor start with the bat in the third Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe, losing Liton Das and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto in the Powerplay with 42 runs on the board at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

Liton Das was the first to depart in the fourth over after making 12 off 15 balls as the batter hit the ball onto his stumps while attempting a scoop shot against Blessing Muzarabani, after failing to hit the same shot in the previous two deliveries. 

Skipper Shanto, who also has been short of runs in recent times, was bowled for just four in the following over by his counterpart Sikandar Raza, failing to read an arm delivery which crashed onto his stumps.

Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Towhid Hridoy were batting on 15 and four respectively, trying to repair the early damage.

Sakib, Tanvir come in as Bangladesh sent to bat

Bangladesh lost the toss and were sent to bat first in the third Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today,

The Tigers had batted second in the first two T20Is, both of which they won quite convincingly thanks to their bowlers.

Both sides made two changes in their playing elevens. Bangladesh dropped all-rounder Mahedi Hasan and pacer Shoriful Islam to make way for left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam and pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib respectively.

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, have replaced Richard Ngarava, Ainsley Ndlovu in favour of Wellington Masakadza, Faraz Akram respectively.

The hosts have a chance to seal the series today as a win would give them an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Liton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali (wk), Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Tanvir Islam

Zimbabwe: Joylord Gumbie(w), Tadiwanashe Marumani, Craig Ervine, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza(c), Clive Madande, Johnathan Campbell, Faraz Akram, Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Wellington Masakadza