Zimbabwe Select XI 127 for 7 (Chigumbura 38, Cremer 30*) beat Bangladeshis 126 for 7 (Ashraful 32, Cremer 4-14, Waller 3-14) by three wickets

A seventh-wicket partnership of 58 between Elton Chigumbura and Graeme Cremer ensured Zimbabwe Select XI's three-wicket victory in the Twenty20 tour match against Bangladeshis in Harare.

The two innings progressed in a contradictory manner as Bangladeshis accumulated runs at the top before collapsing, while Zimbabwe XI recovered from 60 for 6 to chase 127 with three balls to spare.

Bangladesh could have gathered a bigger total when Mohammad Ashraful and Tamim Iqbal started strongly. Ashraful, recalled to the Bangladesh squad after six months, scored 32 off 25 deliveries in a stand of 64 in 8.1 overs, with Tamim scoring 29.

Bangladeshis, however, collapsed to 91 for 7 in 16 overs, before Mahmudullah took them to 126. Cremer and Malcolm Waller shared all the seven wickets to fall between them.

Zimbabwe had a faltering start, and after 11.4 overs, were staring at defeat with 67 needed with four wickets in hand. But Chigumbura, who made 38 off 28, and Cremer, who remained unbeaten on 30 off 24, held their nerve to guide their side home in the 13-a-side match, with 11 batting and bowling.

After a last-over victory in the first game of the day, Zimbabwe Select XI swept aside the Bangladeshis by 19 runs in the second Twenty20 warm-up match of the day.

The star of the show was Hamilton Masakadza, who slammed a 60-ball 102 to power the home side to 175, a total which proved too large for the home side, despite a spirited chase piloted by their captain Mushfiqur Rahim and Jahurul Islam.

Zimbabwe's innings revolved around two stands, both dominated by Masakadza. First, he put on 79 with Vusi Sibanda for the opening partnership, and then opened out in the second-wicket stand of 67 with Stuart Matsikenyeri, who contributed 18.

Masakadza hit five sixes and six fours in his innings before being dismissed in the 17th over by the left-arm spin of Abdur Razzak.

The Bangladeshi chase got off to a poor start, with both openers falling cheaply. Their challenge seemed almost over when Anamuk Haque and Nasir Hossain also followed soon after, but Mushfiqur and Jahurul brought them back in it with a 91-run stand.

The pair seemed to have put the visitors ahead but both were dismissed by Shingi Masakadza in the space of four balls in the 18th over to pretty much end the Bangladeshi challenge.

Zimbabwe and Bangladesh will clash in the first game of the T20 tri-series in Harare on Sunday. South Africa are also participating in the tournament.