Bangladesh look to salvage pride (Preview)

It has been all Zimbabwe thus far. Announcing their return to test cricket with an emphatic victory over the tourists, rejuvenated Zimbabwe have continued the good work in ODI series as well. Three matches into the five match series, the home team has taken an unassailable lead of 3-0 to stamp their authority on Bangladesh. Not only home side has unearthed some new faces full of potential, zest and zeal to succeed at the level, senior men in Tatenda Taibu and Prosper Utseya have contributed their bit in Zimbabwe’s surge. Under new steward Brendan Taylor, Zimbabwe have looked a team well oiled, full of energy and enthusiasm to bring home the glory.

The emergence of young left arm pacer Brain Vitori has been the story of the fixture thus far. Not only Vitori seams the cricket ball with a great pace, the youngster appears to have a good cricketing brain on his shoulders. As a result, he has grabbed two back to back five wicket haul and scripting first two victories of his team. In batting another youngster Vusimuzi Sibanda has been among the runs to play a significant role in his team’s success.

While first two matches were won easily, Zimbabwe had some stutters before sealing the series in the third one. The home team held their nerves to clinch the thriller by five runs. Despite a superb hundred from Bangladesh wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim, Zimbabwean bowlers bowled nicely in the dying stages to complete the series. Much of the work might have been done; the hosts would be keen to whitewash Bangladesh. For that to happen they need to emulate the kind of performances and desire to win showed so far in the series. Team management and skipper should make sure complacency didn’t affect their game in next two matches.

For Bangladesh, tour has unfolded so many problems the side is facing. Their batters aren’t delivering and keep throwing their wickets to reckless strokes. Bowling department has lacked needle and venom to dent the hosts’ batsmen. They have clearly lacked stomach to fight and despite having bundles of talent in the ranks, Bangladesh have looked an average side.

Save for sporadic individual performances, it has been a sorry show from the Asian side. At crucial junctures, the side has lacked common sense and skill to surrender the advantage to their opponents. The mood in the Bangladesh camp, no doubt, will be very gloomy and confidence of boys would have been dented big time by Zimbabwean’s super show.

All that has happened is now past though. The Shaqibul Hassan led side needs to overcome the scars of successive defeats to avoid themselves from getting whitewashed. All they need is to stick to the basics and cut down on mistakes. As of now, that old and clichéd pride should egg them for a good show.

ZIMBABWE SQUAD: Brendan Taylor (c), Brian Vitori, Christopher Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Elton Chigumbura, Forster Mutizwa, Hamilton Masakadza, Keegan Meth, Kyle Jarvis, Malcolm Waller, Prosper Utseya, Regis Chakabva, Tatenda Taibu (wk), Tendai Chatara, Ray Price, Vusimuzi Sibanda.

BANGLADESH SQUAD: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Robiul Islam, Shuvagoto Hom, Nasir Hossain.