Ryan Burl’s knockout 30 helped hosts Zimbabwe to a 2-1 victory over Ireland in the T20 series in Harare.
Harry Tector’s 47 helped Ireland post 141-9 with Curtis Campher hitting 27 before becoming one of Burl’s two versatile victims.
Despite skipper Craig Ervine’s 54, Ireland kept Zimbabwe’s stick in check until Burl’s 18 on heroism.
Burl fired two sixes and fours on successive deliveries from George Dockrell to help the hosts win by four wickets.
Luke Jongwe, who also took two wickets in the rounds in Ireland, hit all four winners on the last ball of the 19th, but it was Burl’s shot that proved essential as he finished unbeaten on the 30th .
Harry Tector and Curtis Campher rebuilt the Irish innings after the hosts collapsed to 19-3 in the fourth as Ross Adair, after his match-winning 65 on Saturday, could only manage one inning, with Stephen Doheny and the skipper Andrew Balbirnie also initially on the cheap.
Campher and Tector put 70 on 57 balls before the former was caught for 27.
Tector fell for 47, becoming one of two impressive victims for Wesley Madhevere, before George Dockrell (23) and Mark Adair (14) led Ireland to respectability.
With Zimbabwe again without former England striker Gary Ballance, who suffered concussion symptoms after being hit in the head in Thursday’s first encounter, Innocent Kaia (23) and Ervine 54 laid the groundwork of Zimbabwe victory with a partnership of 42 at the second wicket.
Ervine hit six fours in his 43-ball run, with Barry McCarthy and Ben White’s two wickets each for Ireland, failing to prove enough amid Burl’s big late strike for the hosts.
The teams will begin a three-match one-day series in Harare on Wednesday.
