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Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry equaled the highest one-day international score on Sunday, hitting 194 not out in the fourth match against Bangladesh at Bulawayo but an equally brilliant 154 by opener Tamim Iqbal helped the visitors win the match by four wickets and pocket the series as well.
The 26-year-old Coventry's 156-ball knock in Bulawayo matched the effort of Pakistan's Saeed Anwar against India in 1997. He his 16 fours and seven sixes.
Coventry lifted Zimbabwe to a total of 312 for eight but Bangladesh overhauled it with 13 balls to spare, clinching a four-wicket victory to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.
Playing in his first series since 2006, the 26-year-old Coventry also surpassed the highest ODI score by a Zimbabwean.
He eclipsed Craig Wishart, who hit 172 not out against Namibia in Harare at the 2003 World Cup.
Coventry was dropped on 13 by Syed Rasel on the boundary but then started timing the ball superbly, hitting powerfully on the backfoot and picking the half volleys with relative ease.
He was dropped again on 137 by Mahmudullah at square leg.
Zimbabwe's players erected a guard of honor for Coventry as he left the field at the Queens Sports Club.
Stuart Matsikenyeri (37), Hamilton Masakadza (21) and Elton Chigumbura (15) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.
Zimbabwe lost opener Mark Vermeulen for 5 on the ninth ball of the innings, caught by Junaid Siddique at short mid-wicket from a short ball by Mahbubul Alam.
Masakadza and Coventry put on 82 before the former was caught by Raqibul Hassan on the boundary off Mohammad Ashraful.
Brendan Taylor (9) and Sean Williams (4) had gone cheaply by the 24th over, but Matsikenyeri and Coventry added 107 in less than 18 overs to help take Zimbabwe to its fifth highest ODI total.
However, Iqbal, with his third major score of the series, helped Bangladesh overhaul a massive target.
