Zimbabwe coach confident against shaky Bangladesh

Zimbabwe head coach Lalchand Rajput is eager to take advantage of an under pressure Bangladesh side in the one-off Test match, starting Saturday at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.

Bangladesh are coming into the game on the back of six consecutive defeats, including one against lower- ranked Afghanistan at home in September last year. 

Among the six defeats, five have come by an innings. 

“Obviously any team which lose continuously stay under pressure. There will be more pressure as they are playing at home. No team look to lose when they play at home. That pressure definitely we are going put on them because we have done well last time and we try to impose that pressure. In cricket at international level, the team which handle pressure well always win and hopefully we will try to do that,” said Rajput to the media at BKSP Ground 3 following conclusion of the two-day warm-up game between the Zimbabweans and Bangladesh Cricket Board XI.

Rajput is confident his side will be boosted by their recent form, and the fact that they won against Bangladesh the last time they met each other in the longer version in Bangladesh.

Right-handed batsman Tanzid Hasan showed quality with an unbeaten century alongside captain Al Amin’s 100 not out to draw the warm-up game for @BCBtigers XI against Zimbabweans at BKSP Ground 3 Wednesdayhttps://t.co/bUr8f0KDnb#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESHCRICKET #CRICKET

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) February 19, 2020

“It is a positive distinct that we have won earlier. Why can't we win again? The positive attitude will definitely go into the mind. As I said we got to be positive in our approach, we can’t be negative .we got to go and put our front foot forward that we got to win,” said Rajput.

Host Bangladesh are yet to decide on their strategy as far as utilizing home advantage is concerned. 

Currently, the 16-member squad has five pacers alongside specialist spinners in the shape of Taijul Islam and Mehedi Hasan Miraz.

Rajput however, is not worried and believes his team are ready to counter any strategy that comes their way.

“Bangladesh always prepare spin-friendly wicket. We are up for both whether it is medium-pace and spin. We have got both departments so we have to see what wicket they give and plan accordingly,” said Rajput.