Ahead of the one-off Test, three ODIs and three T20Is against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh will play a two-day practice match at Takashinga Sports Club on July 3 and 4 to warm up ahead of the crucial series.
All the 18 members of the Bangladesh Test squad are currently in Zimbabwe, while the players who will play ODIs and T20Is will leave for Harare on July 9 and July 16, respectively.
Tamim Iqbal, the ODI captain of Bangladesh who is part of the Test squad, might not take part in the practice match. The left-handed batsman has been suffering from a leg injury since the Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Twenty20 Cricket League.
He had represented Prime Bank Cricket Club in the event. But he couldn’t play the Super League due to the injury.
However, Shakib Al Hasan is all set to play the practice match. The all-rounder was in the US with his family before joining the team in Zimbabwe.
“We have been doing well in practice sessions,” Taskin Ahmed, the right-arm pacer who is a part of the teams in all formats, told the media over a video message. “I believe that we will have no complaint about our preparations in Zimbabwe.”
The first match of the series, the one-off test, will take place on July 7 at the Harare Sports Club.
“We are looking forward to playing the Test first. We have won many matches against Zimbabwe. But every match is new, and we have to play our best game to beat them at their home,” Taskin added.
Bangladesh’s last Zimbabwe tour was in 2013 when the Tigers ended the series in a draw, winning one of the two-match series.
After 2013, Zimbabwe toured Bangladesh thrice for the Test series and lost two of them, with the last series being a one-off Test affair.
Overall, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe took each other in nine Test series — Zimbabwe won four and Bangladesh three. The other two series ended in a draw.
The three ODIs will take place on July 16, 18, and 20, while the T20Is will be played on July 23, 25, and 27 respectively.
Test and ODIs will start at 1.30 pm (Bangladesh time) while T20Is will commence at 4.30 pm (Bangladesh time).
Source: United News of Bangladesh