Bangladesh look for yet another clean sweep against Zimbabwe

Visitors Bangladesh will look for a clean sweep in the ongoing one-day international series when they take on hosts Zimbabwe in third and the final game at Harare Sports Club [HSC] on Tuesday.

Bangladesh have already secured the series winning the first two matches on Friday and Sunday respectively and have added 20 valuable points to their ICC Men’s World Cup Super League tally. Bangladesh would like to grab the final 10 points in offer considering they have bigger challenges coming up later in the year.

Going into the last game Bangladesh will look to overcome their worry with the batting department. Despite the wins tourists were in spot of bother while batting during both the games and could get over the mark thanks to a couple of individual heroics.  

In the first game Liton Das, Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz had emerged as the saviors while in the second it was Shakib al Hasan’s heroic along with some very vital support from Mohammad Saifuddin navigated the ship to shore. 

Also Read: Saifuddin emphasizes on Super League points

Shakib’s below par performance with the willow was pushed aside after the left-handed batsman scored a match winning 92 not out to lead Bangladesh to a three-wicket win and seal the series with a game to spare. But worry with the other batsmen remains with a big question mark.

Captain and opener Tamim Iqbal has been able to score just 20 runs in the first two matches of the series having started with a duck in the first game. The concern is intensified with Mohammad Mitun and Mosaddesk Hossain finding no touch what so ever while trying to fill the gap of experienced Mushfiqur Rahim, who has opted himself out of the series for family emergency.  

The wicket at HSC has been on the slower side in the second game with some help for the seamers in the first hour before flattening out for the rest of the day. But Bangladesh can disregard any situation of play given their bowling attack has been in mint condition.

Left-arm spinner Shakib has been in the lead taking a five-for in the first game and two more wickets in the second and get well complemented by the fellow bowlers. Young left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam grabbed the limelight in the previous game with his maiden four-wicket haul in the format while a motivated Taskin Ahmed has continuously showcasing brilliant performances and admirable body language. 

Zimbabwe will also look to achieve the 10 points to add to their tally in the Super League. So far the African nation has been able to add just 10 points to the league table winning just one game in five matches.

 But for doing so, they will have to come better and not let any momentum gained in the game slip away. In the first two games Zimbabwe had gained some vantage points both in bowling and point but ultimately failed to capitalize showing their inexperience.

Zimbabwe batting department can take courage form Wesley Madhevere who was sent to bat in the middle and register a half-century against a sharp bowling attack. Sikandar Raza, coming back into the fold with the second game, has been a booster as the all-rounder chipped in with both the bat and the ball.

 Bangladesh (probable):

Tamim Iqbal (capt), Liton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mithun, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam