Pitch Report for Harare Sports Club
In the last ODI series at the Harare Sports Club between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, the average first and second innings scores read 213 and 194 respectively. Out of 43 wickets, pacers took 25 and spinners 17.
Time: 5 August, 12.45 PM IST
Probable Playing XIs for Zimbabwe & Bangladesh
Probable XI for Zimbabwe: Regis Chakabva ( c & wk), Wesley Madhevere, Sikandar Raza, Innocent Kaia, Brad Evans, Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Victor Nyauchi, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava
Probable XI for Bangladesh: Litton Das, Tamim Iqbal (c) (wk), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Afif Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed
Power Players
Since July 2021, Litton Das has been consistently piling on the runs at the top. He has smashed 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries in a span of 12 ODIs. Against Zimbabwe, he has blasted 3 hundreds and has an average of 93 in the last 6 innings. Talk about domination!
Mehidy Hasan loves playing the ODI format. His tidy bowling often induces false strokes from the batters. He has bagged 13 wickets in his last 6 ODIs, including the best figures of 4 for 29. Although he has batted only thrice in his last 8 ODIs, he can be proud of his scores: 16*, 38, 19*, 6, and 81.
Sikandar Raza has been in top-notch form of late. Before being dismissed for a duck in the final T20I against Bangladesh, he had registered consecutive half-centuries and picked 2 wickets. In his last 5 ODIs, he has collected 202 runs, including the highest score of 67.
Tamim Iqbal’s recent scores in ODIs read 34, 50*, 33, and 87*. Besides, he has clobbered the Zimbabwean bowlers and registered scores of 112, 128*, and 158 in the last 6 ODIs against them. If the hosts don’t get him early, these numbers will further magnify.
Zimbabwe will want Sean Williams to continue his purple patch with the bat. He has added 383 runs at 63, including 2 hundreds and a fifty in his last 7 ODI innings. In the same period, he has also taken 5 wickets.
Also read: Asia cup 2022 schedule, teams & venues
Smart Picks
Regis Chakabva might have managed only 25 runs in the T20Is, but he will take confidence from the fact that he topped the run charts (164 at 64, including 2 half-centuries) when Bangladesh last visited Zimbabwe for the ODIs in 2021.
Shoriful Islam went wicketless in the T20Is last week against Zimbabwe, but his ODI numbers are encouraging: he has picked 18 wickets in 12 games. He also took 5 wickets in 2 games when he last bowled at Harare in the format.
Time and again, Afif Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain have proved their worth in fantasy teams with either bat or ball. While Afif scored 69 runs, Mosaddek picked 6 wickets in the T20Is against Zimbabwe. The duo rarely disappoint fantasy players.
Zimbabwe will be aware of Mustafizur Rahman’s threat with the ball. He has bagged 19 wickets, including the best figures of 5 for 34 against them in 10 ODIs.
Zimbabwe will need Craig Ervine to up his ante after an ordinary performance (46 runs in 3 innings) in the T20Is. His ODI form too has been up and down. Amidst two ducks, he also has scores of 32, 30, and 90.
Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh, 1st ODI Match Preview
Zimbabwe will be brimming with confidence after beating Bangladesh 2-1 in the T20I series. That said, the tourists will be a formidable unit with several marquee names returning to the squad. On the head-to-head front too, Bangladesh lead 50-28 and have also won the last 11 ODIs against Zimbabwe.
