Two crucial moments in the third ODI demanded that Bangladesh find someone other than their experienced trio to help the team turn a corner. On both occasions, "other people" came. Nurul Hasan will be in the limelight. The 27-year-old was playing his first ODI in five years and yet he played the finisher's role to perfection, scoring 45 not out off 39 balls to seal the victory with two overs to spare.
But there were so many important contributions.
Mohammad Saifuddin and Mustafizur Rahman took five wickets in the space of 13 balls, at a time when Ryan Burle and Sikandar Raza were tearing it up, to bowl Zimbabwe out for 298. Bangladesh didn't always have fast bowlers who were able to convert the pace completely. one such game.
Then Hassan came.
Zimbabwe had removed Tamim Iqbal - who played a scintillating 112-run knock - and dismissed Mahmudullah in successive deliveries. His tail was up. But none of this helped.
Hasan displayed the kind of batting that Bangladesh had been waiting for from one of their young players. He was calm. He was confident in his game. His six fours were all perfect cricket shots. No innovation is necessary. He added 64 for the fifth wicket with Mohammad Mithun and 34 for the sixth wicket with Afif Hussain to help the team sweep 3-0.
Captain Iqbal was pleased with Hasan's performance, but added that his place - and a few others in the middle order - are still up for grabs.
"I think everyone should get the opportunity," Iqbal said. "(Mohammed Mithun) didn't do well in the last few matches but if you think about New Zealand, they contributed well in the game we should have won. We don't have the right player at No. 5. And 6 so we are giving them opportunities. It was great to see Sohan's [Nurul Hasan] innings today. There are two-three guys who are fighting for one spot."
Iqbal played a stroke-filled innings and completed his fastest ODI century off 87 balls.
"I thought I was in a good rhythm," he said. "I didn't think it was going to be a challenging time. I thought I was batting pretty well lately in both Tests and ODIs, but I might have missed out on big runs. I need to contribute to the chase. I am happy."
He admitted that he played with pain due to his knee injury, which would keep him out of action for at least two months. "I was going through a lot of pain even though I wasn't showing it. I've got heavy tape on my knee. It's such an injury that maybe if I continue, I can function, but if it flares up." If yes, then I will be out of cricket for seven-eight months.
"I don't think we need to take that risk. I should be fine before the T20 World Cup if I rest for eight to ten weeks, during which I will be in rehab," he said.
Shakib Al Hasan, who was adjudged player of the series for his all-round performance, said Bangladesh were tested in all matches despite the 3-0 series result. Shakib himself had dismissed the team for an unbeaten 96 in the second game, when they were 173 for 7 chasing 241.
"I think we faced a lot of situations when we did the test," he said. "I think we passed those tests, which were satisfactory. But there is always room for improvement. We should take as much as we can from this series to the next. We have to keep improving."