Bangladesh are keen to maintain their supremacy against Zimbabwe in the 50-over format when they begin the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series at the Harare Sports Club on Friday, reports news agency BSS.
The match will begin at 1:15pm Bangladesh Standard Time and it will be aired live on T Sports.
Earlier in the tour, Bangladesh suffered its first ever T20I series defeat against Zimbabwe, losing the three-match series 1-2.
Even though T20 is not their favourite format, Bangladesh were expected to win the series against Zimbabwe but ended up on the defeated side.
It was a remarkable achievement for Zimbabwe as not only was it their first ever T20I series victory over Bangladesh, but also it was their maiden series victory in the format against a Test playing nation.
But ODI is a format where Bangladesh is thriving at the moment. Since the 2019 ICC World Cup, they have played nine bilateral series and won seven. The two defeats came at the hands of Sri Lanka in 2019 and New Zealand in 2021. After the defeat against New Zealand, they have won five straight ODI series, beating the likes of Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, South Africa and West Indies.
The Tigers also haven’t lost an ODI series against Zimbabwe since 2013 when the African opponent bagged a three-match series 2-1 at their home.
Since then Bangladesh has played five ODI series and two matches in a Tri-nation series against Zimbabwe and won all of them, which took their winning streak against the familiar opponents to 19.
Bangladesh will have a chance to extend their winning run to 20 in the first ODI.
Overall Bangladesh has won 50 and lost 28 in 78 ODIs against Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud lashed out at the players, terming the T20 series loss as a disgrace. He went on to say that the players were trying to protect their place rather than trying to win the game by taking risks.
“I didn’t expect losing to Zimbabwe. We are a better team than them. I would call it a disgrace,” Mahmud said.
“When we needed 10 or 12 runs an over, we were getting six or seven. Nobody even tried to hit a six. Everyone was playing for ones and twos. What was that? They batted like they were trying to protect their place, make enough runs so that they don’t lose their place.”
Bangladesh ODI squad: Tamim Iqbal (c), Liton Das, Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Mosaddek Hossain, Taijul Islam
Zimbabwe ODI squad: Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva (wk), Tanaka Chivanga, Craig Ervine (c), Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Sean Williams