Tigers face Zimbabwe in ODI Tri-series opener Monday

Bangladesh will face Zimbabwe in the seven-ODI-match Tri-nation series opener, which starting at 2:30pm on Monday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur.

The ODI records between the two rivals showed that the Tigers are far ahead than the visiting Zimbabwean with 39 victories against 28 losses among their 67 encounters, since October 1997.

Moreover, Bangladesh is the seventh-best ODI side in the ICC ranking list, while Sri Lankans are ninth and Zimbabwe 10th.   

Among their 15 bilateral ODI series battles, Bangladesh won in nine occasions against six losses. In their recent series battles, Bangladesh whitewashed Zimbabwean twice by 5-0 and 3-0 margin in 2014 and 2015 respectively.    

Going by records and home ground advantage, many consider the host Bangladesh as favourite, but Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza wants to keep his feet on the soil ahead of the series.

“It will not easy. No matter, who the opponents are. Look on to the Zimbabwean side, they are strong team. They beat Sri Lanka on their home soil recently,” said Mashrafe when talking to journalists in a pre-match press conference at SBNCS media block on Sunday.    

Graeme Cremer captained Zimbabwe to a 3-2 series win over Sri Lanka in July 2017.

“Of course, we want to win with cards well. We expect as the other sides expects. We have to stay in the race of the tournament as the Sri Lankan side also a good opponent,” Mashrafe added.

On the other side, terming his side as underdogs, Zimbabwe head coach Heath Streak said that his side will take confidence from their series win in Sri Lanka last year, but they are still the outsiders for the Bangladesh tri-series.

“I think we still have a long way to go - we are the underdogs in this series,” Streak said. “But I still feel that we have got the quality of players we need to take Zimbabwe cricket forward. We showed against Sri Lanka last year that we can compete against other countries outside our home territory. It was very pleasing but we have a long way to go as a team.” Heath Streak said in Mirpur on Saturday after their arrival in the country on Friday.

Heath Streak former pace bowling coach of Bangladesh cricket team turned to the head of coach of Zimbabwe cricket team reminded that there will not much things to be hided among the participating sides in the double league basis series as he said, “We know the conditions and players, so does (Sri Lanka head coach) Chandika (Hathurusingha). I think a lot of these Sri Lankan and Zimbabwean guys play in the Bangladesh Premier League. There aren't many secrets out there anymore. It is about coming up with good plans and technical advice for the teams and making sure you execute those skills well.”

Streak has returned to Bangladesh for the first time since spending two years as the country's bowling coach between 2014 and 2016. The 43-year-old will look to use his knowledge of the country, conditions and opposition players to his advantage.

Chandika Hathurusingha has joined Sri Lanka Cricket on December 8, 2017 to start his assignment as the head coach of the Lankan cricket team on December 20, 2018 onwards after his retirement from Bangladesh Cricket Board in 2nd week of November in 2017. Hathurusingha can easily describe the best to his current boys about the Bangladesh team strength or weakness compare to the other head coaches around the world.

Squads:

Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah Riyad, Imrul Kayes, Anamul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Abul Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mohammad Mithun and Sunzamul Islam.

Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Peter Moor, Malcolm Waller, Graeme Cremer (captain), Ryan Murray, Tendai Chisoro, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Christopher Mpofu, Tendai Chatara and Kyle Jarvis.

Source: unb