Trailing the five-match series 2-1, the Tigers face a do-or-die battle at the Harare Sports Club after a heartbreaking two-wicket defeat that saw a splendid hattrick by young fast bowler Shahadat Hossain Rajib go in vain in the third match.

Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor struck 18 runs off the final over to guide the home side to the victory target of 237 set by the Tigers. Paceman Mashrafee Bin Mortuza was given the duty to bowl the final over but he sent a number of full tosses and fatefully got struck for two sixes and a four.

Taylor, who scored unbeaten 79 off 72 balls in his match-winning knock, shared an 81-run eighth wicket partnership with tail-ender Tawanda Mupariwa after the hosts were reduced to 151-7, courtesy of Rajib's treble.

Rajib, who ended with figures of three for 50 in ten overs, claimed the wickets of Tafadzwa Mufambisi, dangerman Elton Chigumbura and skipper Prosper Utseya in the 39th over of the Zimbabwe innings. The hattrick was the first in Bangladesh's one-day history.

Rajib's efforts looked to have won the match for the visitors but then the Taylor-Mupariwa partnership turned the game on its head.

Stand-in skipper Khaled Mashud was predictably shocked and disappointed but provided a strong face.

"If we start pointing fingers at each other for today's debacle then we will not be able to lift ourselves. We believe we are a better team and we must not let another chance like this go by. There are two matches and we will come back strongly," said stand-in skipper Khaled Mashud.

The Tigers earlier had batted first and reached 236 runs before being bowled out.

Doughty Rajin Saleh was the top-scorer with 54, providing the perfect anchor for the belligerent Aftab Ahmed who struck 53 off 39 balls. The young right-hander smashed seven fours and two sixes but was undone by a terrific slower ball from seamer Anthony Ireland in the 17th over.

The Tigers are looking to return refreshed for today's crunch game, after having taken rest yesterday from training.