Despite his short stature, Tatenda Taibu stood tall amid ruins and struck a scintillating ton but that was just not enough to see Zimbabwe through. In the end of a see-saw match, South Africa staved off spirited challenge from the minnows to chalk out a 28-run victory, which also helped them blank Zimbabwe 3-0 in the series.
Batting first, South Africa got off to a decent start before Albie Morkel (97) and AB de Villiers (107) went wild with the willow and prepared the ground as the side posted a mammoth total of 323 for 9 wickets.
De Villiers and Morkel came down hard on the hapless Zimbabwean bowlers. De Villiers was in murderous mood as he decimated the Zimbabwe attack. His 89-ball blitzkrieg was studded with eight boundaries and six sixes.
Nobody gave Zimbabwe a chance when they started the improbable chase. But Vusi Sibanda (41), Hamilton Masakadza (48) and Taibu were not ready to give up. They put up a stiff resistance and made the South Africans sweat for every wicket.
Taibu was positive right throughout the match and he guided the side towards the target but did not get enough support from the lower order and was stranded on 107 not out off just 103 balls, hitting nine boundaries and a six in the process.
De Villiers got both the Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards.
