Sikandar Raza stars in great run chase as Zimbabwe win Bangladesh ODI series

Zimbabwe staged a great run chase for the second time in three days to beat Bangladesh by five wickets on Sunday and take a winning 2-0 lead in a three-match one-day international series. The Pakistan-born batsman hit four sixes and eight fours off 127 deliveries and his 201-run fifth-wicket partnership with captain Regis Chakabva turned the tide after Bangladesh posted 290-9 in Harare.

Zimbabwe reached 291-5 with 15 balls to spare after the early loss of wickets and a slow scoring rate suggested they had little chance of success at Harare Sports Club. Zimbabwe also won the first match on Friday by five wickets against opponents ranked eight places higher and continued a remarkable transformation under new coach Dave Houghton.

The former national team batting star took over in June with Zimbabwe in the doldrums after 3-0 ODI and Twenty20 whitewashes by visiting Afghanistan. Houghton told his squad to express themselves, not be afraid of making mistakes and not to be intimidated by opponents, however strong they appeared on paper.

The triumph on Sunday was the ninth in 10 ODI and T20 matches under Houghton as Zimbabwe prepare for the T20 World Cup in Australia from October.