Tanzid: One of us had to finish the chase

Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim admitted that the batters let the team down after Zimbabwe sealed the One Day International series, saying that the failure of the top-order to convert promising starts into a match-winning innings proved decisive.

Bangladesh went down by 13 runs in the second ODI at Harare Sports Club on Thursday to concede the three-match series despite half-centuries from Tanzid and Towhid Hridoy.

"I think we didn't play well. They played better than us, that's why we lost the match," Tanzid said after the defeat.

The left-hander, who scored 57, shared an 84-run stand with Hridoy after Bangladesh had slipped to 38-2.

However, both batters fell after reaching their fifties, leaving the lower-order with too much to do.

"When me and Hridoy were batting, we were well set. We needed a big partnership and one of us had to make it big and bat till the last ball. Both of us got out after our fifties and I think that's where we lost the match," he explained.

Tanzid admitted that Ben Curran provided the perfect example of how to finish an innings as the left-handed batter remained unbeaten on 111 to guide his side to a competitive total.

"He carried his innings till the last ball and we couldn't. That was the difference between the two teams," he stated.

The opener defended Bangladesh's bowlers, insisting that the batting unit was primarily responsible for the series defeat.

"Our bowlers did a really great job. The batters didn't bat well. In the first match, 142 wasn't a big score but we couldn't chase it. I think our batters need to be more responsible," he noted.

Despite the disappointment of losing the series, Tanzid believes Bangladesh still have an opportunity to regain confidence in the final ODI before shifting their focus to the T20 International series.

"It was a bad series for us. We still have one more match before the T20 series. If we can play well in all three departments - batting, bowling and fielding - it will give us confidence going into the T20s," he concluded.