BULAWAYO: Mushfiqur Rahim scored 98 and paceman Dolar Mahmud took five wickets Tuesday to guide Bangladesh to a six-wicket victory over Zimbabwe and clinch the series 4-1.

Rahim started cautiously before opening up, smashing 11 boundaries in 121 balls as Bangladesh romped home with 13 balls to spare at the Queen Sports Club.

The wicketkeeper-batsman was out in the 45th over, leaving his crease to hit through the covers but ending up being stumped by Charles Coventry, who had replaced Brendan Taylor.

Chasing a small total in good batting conditions, Rahim and Tamim Iqbal put on 48 for the first wicket before Iqbal on 4 missed to be clean-bowled by veteran spinner Ray Price.

Bangladesh added just five runs before spectacular one-handed catch by Vusi Sibanda at point removed Mohammad Ashraful for 4 off Elton Chigumbura.

Raqibul Hassan added 24 before Chigumbura induced a wild swing for Malcolm Waller to take the running catch at mid off.

Rahim and captain Shakib Al Hasan put Bangladesh firmly on top with a 70-run partnership. Al Hasan played a supporting role to score 30 before giving Hamilton Masakadza an easy catch on the boundary off legspinner Graeme Cremer.

Earlier, Bangladesh had been put on course by Mahmud's career-best 4-2. The right-arm seam bowler, playing his first match of the tour, utilized the swinging conditions well.

Taylor top-scored for Zimbabwe with 61 in 86 balls, hitting three boundaries and a six.

Zimbabwe lost its first wicket when out-of-form Vusi Sibanda exposed his wicket and lost his leg stump to Mahmud. Charles Coventry, who hit an unbeaten 194 on Sunday to equal the highest one-day international score in history, was out for a duck after getting a thick edge from Mahmud to be caught by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim.

Hamilton Masakadza, another Zimbabwean centurion in this series, made 25 before being run out by Ashraful following a mix-up with Waller, who himself didn't stay for long before Mahmud bowled him.

Syed Rasel then trapped Sean Williams in front for 12 before Chigumbura went for 12 the same way to Rasel to leave the score on 65-5.

Captain Prosper Utseya, under-fire to step down following criticism over his leadership qualities, added 54 with Ray Price for the seventh wicket off 86 balls before being bowled on 21 by Mahmudullah.

Price hit four boundaries over long on to reach 46 off 59 balls.

He and Taylor put on 53 for an eight-wicket stand before Taylor was given lbw to a delivery from Mehraib Hossain that appeared to be missing off stump.

Price was out lbw to Rasel, then Graeme Cremer charged down the track to be stumped by Rahim off Naeem Islam for 10.