Chasing a moderate Zimbabwe total of 205-9, Bangladesh lost two early wickets for just 10 runs and never recovered, finally being bowled out for 167. "We didn't bat well, we played a poor game," Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful said.

Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya was the best of the bowlers with 2-22 from his full 10 overs, and made the initial breakthrough, claiming opener Junaid Siddique lbw before Ed Rainsford bowled Mushfiqur Rahim, both for ducks.

Bangladesh slumped to 33-4 after opener Tamim Iqbal was run out on 13 and Ashraful (18) was caught when lofting an Utseya delivery.

Middleorder batsmen Shakib Al Hasan and Raqibul Hasan steadied the innings, with a 59-run stand for the fifth wicket. But just when the hosts looked to have recovered, Keith Dabengwa bowled Raqibul Hasan (23) and Ray Price had Mehrab Hossain (2) stumped in the next over, with Bangladesh stumbling to 95-6.

Al Hasan cobbled together a 31-run stand for the seventh wicket with Naeem Islam, but fell on 52 when Elton Chigumbura had him caught behind by Tatenda Taibu.

It was the ninth one-day international half-century for Al Hasan, who also took 3-23, and Bangladesh crumbled after his departure with two run-outs accounting for Mashrafe bin Mortaza (3) and Islam (21).

Tailenders Mahbubul Alam and Nazmul Hossain made 21 runs in a last ditch effort, but Bangladesh's innings ended with 22 balls left when Stuart Matsikenyeri caught Alam (22) on the boundary rope off Price.

"Starting 2009 with a win, is good for us,'' Utseya said. Earlier, man of the match Chigumbura hit a half century to steady Zimbabwe innings after they had slipped to 94-5, allowing the visitors to post a defendable total.

Al Hasan, a left-arm spinner, trapped opener Vusi Sibanda (15) and middle-order batsman Sean Williams (3) lbw, then dismissed Utseya (9).

Part-time offspinner Islam dismissed top-order pair Taibu (17) and Matsikenyeri (39), and then caught and bowled Dabengwa (10) to return career best figures of 3-32.