Chittagong, Bangladesh: Bangladesh is on course for a 3-0 series sweep after setting Zimbabwe a winning target of 449 runs on the fourth day of the third test Saturday.
The African nation's highest successful run chase was 162 against Pakistan in 1998.
Zimbabwe reached 71-1 at stumps. Sikandar Raza is on 43 with Hamilton Masakadza unbeaten with 26. Brian Chari was the only batsman out with his second duck of the match when Rubel Hossain (1-16) trapped him lbw.
Bangladesh earlier declared its second innings at 319-5 after Mominul Haque smashed his fourth test century to be unbeaten on 131.
Haque, in only his 12th test, hit 13 boundaries and has now scored at least fifty in nine straight tests.
"(The wicket) is quite flat so I don't see it changing," Zimbabwe fast bowler Tinashe Panyangara said. "The best possible result is a Zimbabwe win ... If it is a dramatic draw, we are happy. No one likes to lose."
Bangladesh continued its dominant form on the fourth day, building quickly on its overnight score of 23-0. Tamim Iqbal helped pace the Bangladesh attack, scoring 65 runs to follow his first-innings 109.
Panyangara and leg-spinner Natsai M'Shangwe rallied Zimbabwe after lunch.
M'Shangwe dismissed Iqbal when the batsman tried to chop a tossed up delivery without any footwork and got an inside edge.
Mahmudullah started fluently but paid the price for his lazy drive against Panyangara after making a fluent 30.
Captain Mushfiqur Rahim hit 46 off 30 with four fours and two sixes.
"Taking their nine wickets will be challenging but we are confident," said Mominul. "We've already seen some cracks in the pitch."
Bangladesh scored 503 in its first innings against Zimbabwe and then bowled the visitors out for 374 to take a 129-run lead.
Bangladesh won the second test by 162 runs to send Zimbabwe to the bottom of the test rankings. The hosts won the first test by three wickets.
