ZIM vs BAN | One-off Test: A pursuit to amelioration

Bangladesh have become a decent force in white-ball cricket especially in the last few years but they still have to prove their mettle when it comes to the longer format of the game. 

In a Test career that spans over 20 years now, Bangladesh have suffered defeats in 92 matches out of the 123 that they have played and have a win percentage of just above 11. 

While they do have players who are capable of getting fruitful results for the side, the Asian team hasn’t been able to produce many successful results for themselves. 

Bangladesh are now on a tour of Zimbabwe where they are scheduled to play a one-off Test which would be followed by three ODIs and as many T20Is. 

Zimbabwe, too, have not had a great time in the longest format and their script reads much similar or probably more disheartening compared to that of Bangladesh. 

From being an unsuccessful side to facing suspension from the longer format, Zimbabwe have seen it all. They became a Test-playing nation in 1992 but accepted a voluntary suspension from the format in 2005 only to return back in 2011. 

They did lose around 6 years but the time that they spent before the suspension or have been spending after the return hasn’t really been great. In 114 Test appearances, Zimbabwe have only tasted success on 13 occasions, have suffered defeats in 73 games and only have a win percentage of 11.40. 

The two teams would be coming into this one-off Test after suffering defeats in their last respective series. While Bangladesh lost 1-0 to Sri Lanka in a two-match series, Zimbabwe were thumped 2-0. 

The only positive for Bangladesh was that they didn’t lose both the matches and didn’t concede an innings defeat unlike Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe lost both their matches against Pakistan by innings. 

Well, as they say there is always a new beginning to everything and this should be the only mind set when the two teams take the field in Bulawayo on Wednesday. 

Match Details

Match: ZIM vs BAN, Only Test, Bangladesh tour of Zimbabwe, 2021

Date: Wednesday, July 07, 2021 - Sunday, July 11, 2021

Time: 1:00 PM

Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare

Pitch Report

The track at the Harare Sports Club is expected to have something on offer to the batsmen while the fast bowlers might get some help in the initial part of the match. So, if you win the toss, bat first, try to negotiate the first session of play and post a good first innings total to take the upper hand. 

Team News

Zimbabwe: Sean Williams and Craig Ervine would miss the one-off Test against Bangladesh after being put in quarantine. 

Fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani had a good run in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League where he peppered the batsmen with some short deliveries at a good pace. The pacer would look to continue the form in the upcoming fixtures for his side as well. 

Apart from this, Zimbabwe had earlier called up four uncapped players, Chivanga Tanaka, Joylord Gumbie, Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Dion Myers in the squad. 

Bangladesh: Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo is pretty confident that wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim who had earlier sustained a finger injury is likely to be available for the one-off Test but opener Tamim Iqbal’s availability is still under dark clouds. Tamim is recovering from a knee injury. 

"Mushfiqur is pretty confident that he will be fit to play. He has done his rehab really well. Everything seems to be on track. I am pretty confident that he will be playing," Domingo said on Monday. "We are still not 100 per cent sure about Tamim. There's still a lot of doubt regarding him. I think a decision will be made in the near future."

On the other hand, Bangladesh had called up Mahmudullah after he was fully fit to bowl. Mahmudullah’s inclusion in the side can provide some boost with both bat and ball. The visiting team looks pretty stable with some experienced players in the unit at the moment. 

Probable XI

Zimbabwe: Kevin Kasuza, Dion Myers, Brendan Taylor, Roy Kaia, Luke Jongwe, Milton Shumba, Regis Chakabva, Donald Tiripano, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Timycen Maruma

 Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed

Fantasy XI

Mushfiqur Rahim, Brendan Taylor, Tamim Iqbal, Dion Myers, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Milton Shumba, Roy Kaia, Taskin Ahmed, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani (VC)

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