Dhaka: Bangladesh got off to a flying start in the tri-nation ODI series crushing Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the opener at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.

The Tigers chased down a target of 171 runs for 2 in 28.3 overs where dashing opener Tamim Iqbal scored unbeaten 84 off 93, including eight boundaries and one six, sharing two partnerships of 78 off 15.1 overs and unbeaten 63 off 9.2 overs in the 2nd and 3rd wicket stands.

Tamim shared the 2nd wicket stand with man of the match Shakib Al Hasan (37 off 46b; 5x4), who was trapped lbw by Sikandar Raza on 108/2 in 19.1 overs, starting after the dismissal of Anamul Haque (19 off 14b; 4x4) on 30/1 in 4 overs.

After a tremendous performance behind the stumps with catches, assisting to get three wickets of Zimbabwe, Mushfiqur Rahim (14 off 23b; 1x4; 1x6) did the remaining job for the victory pairing with Tamim in the unbeaten 3rd wicket stand.

Sikandar Raza got the Tigers’ both wickets conceding 53 runs in 10 overs.

This is Bangladesh’s 40th ODI victory against Zimbabwe in 68 encounters since October 1997, Tigers’ most wins against any Test-playing nation.

Earlier, Bangladesh dismissed visiting Zimbabwe for 170 in the opener of the tri-nation ODI series.

Sent in to bat first, Zimbabwe played 49 overs for their collection spurred by Sikandar Raza’s half century of 52 off 99 balls, including two fours and two sixes. Sikandar Raza was victim of run out to leave the crease on 131/6 in 39.1 overs after facing Nasir Hossain.

All-rounder Shakib made the first breakthrough for Bangladesh to open his account in the series sending off Solomon Mire with duck in the 2nd ball of the innings and found Craig Ervine just one ball later, also out for zero, conceding two runs. Mire was caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim while Ervine by Sabbir Rahman.

Shakib finally got skipper Graeme Cremer (12 off 20b) caught by Rubel Hossain on 161/7 in 45.3 overs for his three for 43 in 10 overs.

Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza found opener Hamilton Masakadza (15 off 24; 2x4), also caught behind by Mushfiqur, in the last ball of his 2nd over when the scoreboard was showing 30/3 in 8 overs for Zimbabwe.

Keeper Mushfiqur again assisted pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman to get the 4th wicket for the Tigers from behind the stumps as he caught Brendan Taylor (24 off 45; 2x4) when the visitors collected 51/4 in 16.4 overs.

Mustafizur blew the last whistle to end the batting lifeline of Zimbabweans bowling out Blessing Muzarabani in the last ball of the 49th over. Mustafizur found two wickets for 29 runs in 10 overs.

Pace bowler Rubel Hossain got two successive wickets bowling out Peter Moor (33 off 58b; 2x4) and sending off Tendai Chatara with duck in the same way in the 3rd and 4th balls of 48th over, keeping the visitors on 167 runs. Rubel conceded 24 runs in five overs.

Sunzamul Islam got the remaining wicket of Malcolm Waller (13 off 30b; 1x4) caught by Sabbir Rahman on 81/5 in 25.4 overs. Mashrafe and Mustafizur conceded 25 runs while Sunzamul 29.