Tigers eye to wrap up ODI series Tuesday
After winning the first of the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe, Tigers are now eying to summary the series on Tuesday if they will need on the visitors in the next match at Sylhet International Stadium.
The match will start at 1pm and Gtv will telecast it live. The third and final match of the series will be played on March 6 in Sylhet.
Following the ODI series, both teams will lock horns in a two-match T20I series in Dhaka on March 9 and 11.
In the first ODI, Bangladesh had a fairly easy victory, riding on the exceptional batting by Liton Das and Mohammad Mithun. Liton developed his second ODI hundred while Mithun smashed a fifty.
After an aggressive batting display, Bangladesh put more pressure on Zimbabwe when the latter went to chase a big total of 321 runs.
Pacer Mohammad Saifuddin, who returned to international cricket after five months because of injury, took three wickets. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza also did well to steer the Tigers to an archive win by 169 runs.
Despite a major win, Bangladesh’s top-order batting woes remained as Tamim Iqbal didn't come out of his slough. He scored 24 runs playing 43 balls with two fours. Tamim’s batting was a thing that didn't suit Bangladesh’s style in the first game.
Prior to the series, discusses the possible retirement of ODI captain Mashrafe took precedence over any cricketing discussion. If Bangladesh can win the next game, it could possibly be Bangladesh’s last series win beneath the captaincy of Mashrafe.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan told the media several times that they are looking for a new captain in the 50-over format to displace Mashrafe. However, neither the BCB nor Mashrafe has confirmed anything to get rid of the drama over Mashrafe’s retirement.
While Bangladesh are looking to pocket the series in the next game, Zimbabwe are also eying to bounce back. Their confidence was boosted by the occurrence of regular captain Sean Williams, who joined the team during the first ODI.
In the lack of Williams, Craig Ervine led Zimbabwe in the one-off Test of the series. He was likely to lead the team in the first ODI as well. But due to an abrupt illness, he missed the first game that forced Zimbabwe to include batting-coach Stuart Matsikenyeri in to the squad.
However, as per the most recent update from Sylhet, both Williams and Ervine are actually set to play another game.
Like the first game of the series, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe faced each other in 73 ODIs with Bangladesh winning 45 of these while Zimbabwe came up victorious in 28 games up to now.
Bangladesh playing XI (probable): Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Taijul Islam and Mustafizur Rahman
Zimbabwe playing XI (probable): Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Wesley Madhevere, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sean Williams (capt), Sikandar Raza, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Donald Tiripano, Ainsley Ndlovu, Chris Mpofu and Carl Mumba
