Tamim Iqbal scored 69 runs and Mushfiqur Rahim contributed 45 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 274 in 48.5 overs in the third ODI of the three-match series against Ireland on Sunday. Although Bangladesh looked set to reach 300, some quick wickets— five wickets in 13 runs— toward the end of the innings prevented them from achieving their target. Bangladesh’s biggest partnership came on the sixth wicket when Mushfiqur and Mehdiy Hasan Miraz added 72 runs on the board. Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl first at County Ground, Chelmsford. Bangladesh began their innings well, with opener Tamim leading from the front. He scored a fifty after nine innings. However, he fell for 69 runs off 82 balls with 8 fours and a six, caught by Craig Young off the bowling of George Dockrell. Debutant Rony Talukdar was the first wicket to fall for Bangladesh, dismissed by Tucker for 4 runs. Najmul Hossain Shanto scored a useful 35 runs off 32 balls, but was caught by Balbirnie off the bowling of Craig Young. The middle-order batsmen Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy also contributed with scores of 35 and 13 runs respectively, but both were dismissed by Mark Adair. Litton looked set to build a big innings, but he failed to carry on. Mushfiqur scored 45 runs off 54 balls but was eventually dismissed lbw by Andy McBrine. The onus was on him to accelerate the scoring rate towards the end of the innings, but he was given out lbw after a review went against him. Mehidy Hasan Miraz also played an important role, scoring 37 runs off 39 balls before being caught by Craig Young off the bowling of Mark Adair. Mrittunjoy Chowdhury played a crucial cameo towards the end of the innings, scoring an unbeaten 10 runs off just 8 balls, helping Bangladesh reach a total of 274 runs. Mark Adair was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland, finishing with figures of 4 for 40 in his 8.4 overs. Andy McBrine and George Dockrell also bagged two wickets each for Ireland. Bangladesh won the second ODI by chasing down a total of more than 300 runs, with Shanto scoring his maiden ODI century, while the first match was washed out due to rain. A victory in this match would secure the series for the Tigers.    

Afif Hossain, unbeaten at 85, and Anamul Haque Bijoy, hitting his second fifty in the series, propelled Bangladesh to 256 for nine in the third and final ODI against Zimbabwe on Wednesday at the Harare Sports Club.  Zimbabwe won the first two matches of the series, and they are on the verge of registering a clean sweep over Bangladesh.  Bangladesh suffered their last clean sweep over Zimbabwe back in 2001.  The Tigers need to defend this total to avoid a whitewash against the hosts.  For the third time in the series, Bangladesh lost the toss and were inserted to bat first. Like the first two matches, Bangladesh managed a brisk start as Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque added 41 runs in 8.3 overs. Tamim going well until being trapped in a run-out for 19 off 30 balls.  After Tamim’s departure, Bangladesh suffered a mini-collapse with out-form batter Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim fell quickly within the 10 overs of the innings. Both suffered a duck each.  Read: Bangladesh bat first in 3rd ODI vs Zimbabwe In the fourth-wicket stand, Anamul and Mahmudullah Riyad added 77 runs. But the unusually slow batting from Mahmudullah put immense pressure on Bangladesh. Mahmudullah eventually fell for 39 off 69 balls. Afif was firm at the other end of the wicket. But he did not get enough company from Mehidy Hasan Miraz who batted for 24 balls to score 14 runs.  Afif remained unbeaten for 85 off 81 balls with six fours and two sixes.  For Zimbabwe, Brad Evans and Luke Jongwe scalped two wickets each.  Bangladesh have three pacers in their arsenal along with Taijul Islam and Mehidy as the spinners to defend a total of 256. In the last two matches of this series, Bangladesh failed to defend 303 and 290.

Virat Kohli scored 85 in 81 balls and Ravindra Jadeja applied the finishing touch with 39 not out as India beat West Indies by four wickets on Sunday to win the three-match ODI series 2-1.