Bangladesh team is scheduled to depart the country at the end of June to play a bilateral series in Zimbabwe. There is widespread skepticism on whether the series will eventually take place as planned as there has been a nationwide lockdown in Zimbabwe due to the coronavirus. However, the cricket boards of both countries are confident that the series will be held as scheduled. The tour will kick off with the one-off Test. Senior Bangladeshi cricketers may be unavailable for the tour. The BCB may use the Zimbabwe series as an opportunity to find new talents which have been discussed in this article.
Five Players Who Could Get an Opportunity in Zimbabwe Series
Bangladesh have a number of excellent young cricketers who have the potential to play on a regular basis for the national team in the future. This article discusses five cricketers who are doing well in the ongoing DPL T20 tournament. It should be noted that changes to the Test and ODI formats squads are unlikely. However, some changes can be seen in the T20 squad.
Munim Shahriar
Abahani Ltd’s middle-order batsman Munim Shahriar has impressed everyone with his aggressive batting style in the ongoing Dhaka Premier Divison T20 Cricket League. The 23-year-old right-handed batsman has scored 243 runs at a fantastic strike rate of 150 in nine matches for Abahani. The Bangladesh Cricket Board is on the hunt for such a batsman in the lower middle order. Munim could be a long-term solution for Bangladesh to accelerate run rates in the death overs.
MahmudulHasan Joy
MahmudulHasan was a standout performer for the U19 World Cup-winning team. This 20-year-old right-handed batsman is an important player for Old DOHS Sports Club in the DPL 2021. Mahmudul has 367 runs at a strike rate of 127.87 in 11 matches, making him one of the season’s leading run-scorers. Mahmudullah is a capable top-order batsman with the potential to become a genuine superstar cricketer.
Tanzid HasanTamim
The Bangladesh Cricket Board selectors believe Tanzid HasanTamim will one day take the place of veteran Tamim Iqbal on the national side. This 20-year-old left-handed opener is one of Bangladesh’s most promising young cricketers. He has been outstanding with the bat in the ongoing T20 tournament. Tanzid has made 295 runs at a strike rate of 108.85 in 11 outings for Shinepukur Cricket Club.
RakibulHasan
18-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner RakibulHasan was a key member of the U19 World Cup-winning team. He has the natural ability to get breakthroughs when needed. Rakibul has 14 wickets with a remarkable 5.71 economy rate in 11 games for Old DOHS Sports Club in the ongoing domestic T20 competition. Without a doubt, Rakibul has a bright future ahead of him.
Tanvir Islam
24-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner Tanvir Islam has been in exceptional form in the Dhaka Premier League T20 2021 for Shinepukur Cricket Club. He has taken 20 wickets at a fantastic 4.79 economy rate in 11 matches. Tanvir Islam has earned the right to play for the national team after a string of solid performances.
The Bangladesh team will be quarantined for one day after arriving in Zimbabwe on June 29. Team Tigers will play a Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is during the tour.
Series fixture
7-11 July: Only Test (Bulawayo) | 16 July: 1st ODI (Harare) | 18 July: 2nd ODI (Harare) | 20 July: 3rd ODI (Harare) | 23 July: 1st T20I (Harare) | 25 July: 2nd T20I (Harare) | 27 July: 3rd T20I (Harare)
Verdict
The BCB may deploy a few uncapped players in the squad aiming to find new talents during the Zimbabwe series. If this is the case then it is good news for Bangladesh cricket and youngsters who will get the opportunity. It will not be possible for the four most experienced players in Bangladesh, Shakib, Tamim, Mushfiqur, and Mahmudullah to continue playing regularly in all formats of the game in the near future. The BCB must now seek out suitable replacements.
With this in mind, the cricket board may use the Zimbabwe tour to find new talents. This will provide them an opportunity to play outside the country, and the newcomers will have a better chance of playing well because Zimbabwe are a relatively weak team.
Source: United News of Bangladesh