Bangladesh to play one-day warm-up game tomorrow

DHAKA —As part of their preparation for the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh will play a one-day warm-up game against a Zimbabwe Select XI tomorrow (Wednesday).

The ODI series is extremely important for Bangladesh since it is the part of ICC ODI Super League, which will determine the direct qualification of the teams for the 2023 World Cup in India. For every win, a team will get 10 points and hence Bangladesh have the chance to collect 30 points from here.

Winning all three matches against Zimbabwe became imperative for Bangladesh after they ruined 10 points against Sri Lanka at home despite winning the three-match series.

The good news for Bangladesh is that opener Tamim Iqbal who missed the one-off Test will play the ODI series. Tamim who is still nursing his knee injury is the captain of the Bangladesh one-day team. He may skip the three-match T20 series.

The players who played the Test match however didn’t get enough time to rest as they came to practice for the ODI series from Monday. Sans Rubel Hossain and Shamim Patwari , all of the members called up for the limited overs series, had already joined the team in Harare and started practice.

Rubel and Shamim who faced visa complications may leave the country tonight for Harare.

However Bangladesh have the upper-hand over Zimbabwe in ODI cricket as they won 47 matches in 75 encounters. They lost 28 matches. But on Zimbabwe's soil, Bangladesh lost more matches than winning. Zimbabwe won 15 out of 28 matches at their home against Bangladesh. Even in the last ODI series in Zimbabwe in 2013, the hosts won it by 2-1.

The three ODIs are scheduled to be held on July 16, 18 and 20. Thereafter the Tigers will play a three-match T20 series against the hosts, slated to be held on July 23, 25 and 27.

Bangladesh ODI Squad: Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Naim Sheikh, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mosaddek Hossian Shaikat, Mohammad  Mithun, Afif Hossian, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossian, Shoriful Islam. BSS