Bangladesh Cricket
Mahmudullah's Best Test Innings For Bangladesh
Mahmudullah Riyad is an efficient batsman and one of the trustworthy cricketers when quick runs are required in the death overs. Riyad is regarded as a silent killer and a competent Test batsman as well. However, he was ignored by the selectors for the Test format after the Pakistan series in February 2020. Mahmudullah was recalled for a one-off Test against Zimbabwe. Bangladesh won the series thanks to his career-best 150 runs in the first innings. Meanwhile, Riyad has decided to retire from Test cricket following a superb innings against Zimbabwe. In this article, we have picked Mahmudullah's best Test innings for Bangladesh.
Mahmudullah’s Best Innings in Test Matches
5) Against New Zealand (1st Test, 2019)
Venue: Hamilton
Result: New Zealand won by an innings and 52 runs
Mahmudullah: 146 (2nd innings)
Mahmudullah Riyad produced a counter-attacking 146-run knock in the second innings on a bouncy track against a deadly New Zealand pace attack. When all of Bangladesh's batsmen failed to adapt to the Kiwis' blistering pace attack, Mahmudullah and Soumya came out strong and put up a 235-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Though Bangladesh lost the match by an innings and 52 runs.
READ: Mushfiqur to miss remainder of Zimbabwe series
4) Against West Indies (2nd Test, 2018)
Venue: Dhaka
Result: Bangladesh won by an innings and 184 runs
Mahmudullah: 136 (1st innings)
Bangladesh won by an innings and 184 runs, making the game a one-sided affair. Bangladesh scored 508 runs in the first innings, owing to a crucial 136-run innings by Mahmudullah Riyad. He was accompanied by Shakib and Liton on his way to hundred. Riyad produced a really great knock. Miraz was named man of the match after taking 12 wickets in the match.
Read BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021: Bangladesh Player Ratings
3) Against Zimbabwe (2nd Test, 2014)
Venue: Khulna
Result: Bangladesh won by 162 runs
Mahmudullah: 56 & 71
Mahmudullah played two solid innings in the 2014 bilateral Test series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. In particular, his 71-run knock in the second innings was important to the match's outcome. Bangladesh declared their second innings at 248/9d after gaining a 313-run lead. Bangladesh went onto win the match by 162 runs.
Read Mominul “not well-informed” about Mahmudullah’s retirement
2) Against Zimbabwe (2nd Test, 2018)
Venue: Dhaka
Result: Bangladesh won by 218 runs
Mahmudullah: 101* (2nd innings)
Zimbabwe scored 304 runs in their first innings in response to Bangladesh's mammoth 522-run total. Bangladesh required quick runs in the second innings to get a commanding lead. Mahmudullah rose to the occasion and played an aggressive 101*-run knock to set Zimbabwe a 443-run target. Zimbabwe ultimately crumbled and was defeated by 218 runs.
READ: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2021: ODI Series Preview
1) Against Zimbabwe (Only Test, 2021)
Venue: Harare
Result: Bangladesh won by 220 runs
Mahmudullah: 150* (1st innings)
Mahmudullah Riyad stunned everyone with a brilliant 150*-run knock in the first innings of the only Test against Zimbabwe after returning to Test cricket. He also recorded a 191-run partnership with pacer Taskin Ahmed on the ninth wicket. Bangladesh were all out for 468 runs in the first innings and were in an excellent position. Bangladesh won the match by 220 runs in the end.
READ: Mushfiq to play T20Is in Zimbabwe
Bottom Line
Mahmudullah Riyad showed once again that he is one of the most effective Test batsmen for Bangladesh after a magnificent performance against Zimbabwe in the last Test. Moreover, analyzing Mahmudullah's best Test innings for Bangladesh highlights his importance as a player for the Test setup. That's why his decision to retire from Test cricket is terrible news for Bangladesh cricket.
Mushfiqur to miss remainder of Zimbabwe series
Bangladesh wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim will leave Harare today for Dhaka, a BCB media release said Wednesday afternoon.
Mushfiqur will miss the remainder of the tour in Zimbabwe for family reasons, the BCB release furthered reads.
Read: Mushfiqur Rahim nominated for ICC player of the month
Before going on this tour, Mushfiqur asked the board to allow him to skip the three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe. BCB had accepted his application.
But on Tuesday, BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin said that Mushfiqur will continue playing in Zimbabwe and will also take part in the T20 series as he has to stay in the boi-secure bubble so that he can play the five-match T20 series against Australia at home starting in early August.
As per the demand of the Australia team, every member of the Bangladesh team will have to remain in a bio-secure bubble for at least 14 days ahead of the series against them.
Read: Mushfiqur named ICC Player of the Month for May
After winning the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh are now gearing up for the three-match ODI series against the hosts. The ODIs will take place on July 16, 18 and 20.
Read: Mushfiqur Rahim uncertain in Test series against New Zealand
After that, both the teams will play a three-match T20 series as well which will be played on July 23, 25 and 27. All the matches will be played at the same venue— the Harare Sports Club.
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2021: ODI Series Preview
Bangladesh’s One Day Internationals records in the past five years are impressive. Bangladesh won their last ODI series against Sri Lanka, which was their first limited-overs series victory against the Lankans. On the other side, Zimbabwe have had a difficult time on the international stage in recent years. Zimbabwe must play with more prudence and dedication if they truly want to win the ODI series. Bangladesh are the overwhelming favorite to win the contest based on their current form. The preview for Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2021 ODI series will give you an insight into the strengths of the two teams.
Bangladesh and Zimbabwe: Notable ODI Records
The first of the three-match ODI serieswill be held on July 16. The rest of the two matches will be held on July 18 and July 20 respectively. All the matches will take place at the Harare Sports Club.
# Eleven of the seventeen bilateral ODI series between the two sides have been won by Bangladesh. Zimbabwe have won six series.
# Tamim Iqbal has scored the most (1,684) runs for Bangladesh. On the other hand, Brendon Taylor (1,410) has scored the most runs for Zimbabwe.
Read:Mushfiq to play T20Is in Zimbabwe
# Shakib Al Hasan has picked up the most (74) wickets for Bangladesh, while Raymond Price (35) has snatched the most wickets for Zimbabwe.
# Liton Das made the highest individual score (176) for Bangladesh, while CK Coventry played the highest individual innings (194*) for Zimbabwe.
# Abdur Razzakhas the best bowling figures for Bangladesh (5/29). On the other side,Bryan Strang has the best bowling figures for Zimbabwe (6/20).
Read:BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021: Bangladesh Player Ratings
Probable Bangladesh Playing XI
BCB has named a 17-man squad for the three-match One-Day International series against Zimbabwe. The selectors have chosen five pacers, including all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin, as Bangladesh's pacers have fared well in recent international series.
Three genuine spinners were also picked, including the world's number one all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. Experienced wicket-keeper NurulHasanSohan has returned to the Bangladesh team. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam has also been included in the team. Apart from that, the majority of the expected names have been included in this squad.
Read Mahmudullah says “dramatic” goodbye to Test cricket, given guard of honour
The Bangladesh players who can make a difference
Tamim Iqbal: ODI: 216 | Runs: 7,534 | HS: 158 | Ave: 36.75
Shakib Al Hasan: ODI: 212 | Runs: 6,455 | HS: 134* | Wkts: 269 | BBI: 5/29
Mustafizur Rahman: ODI: 67 | Wkts: 124 | BBI:6/43 | Ave: 22.92
Read:Mominul “not well-informed” about Mahmudullah’s retirement
Predicted Playing XI (Bangladesh):
Tamim Iqbal (C), Liton Das, Shakib AlHasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (WK), Mosaddek Hossain, MahmudullahRiyad, Afif Hossain, MehidyHasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
Probable Zimbabwe Playing XI
The team for the ODI series will most likely be announced the day before the first match. Zimbabwe will play their hearts out to win the series, therefore we should anticipate a very strong squad for the contest. Zimbabwe have a chance to pass Sri Lanka and perhaps break into the top eight of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League if they win this bilateral ODI series against Bangladesh.
Zimbabwe's selectors may decide to select several young and talented players for the contest. Besides, the team will have all of the expected names.
Read Bangladesh seven wickets away from a win in Harare
The Zimbabwe players who can make a difference
Sean Williams: ODI:136 | Runs: 3,958 | HS: 129* | Ave: 35.02
Brendan Taylor: ODI: 199 | Runs: 6,530 | HS: 145* | Ave: 35.68
Donald Tiripano: ODI: 35 | Wkts: 33 | BBI: 5/63 | Runs: 344 | HS: 55*
Predicted Playing XI (Zimbabwe)
Brian Chari, Justice Chibhabha (C), Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor (WK), Sean Williams, Wesley Madhevere, SikandarRaza, Donald Tiripano, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, TendaiChisoro
Read:Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 220 runs in one-off Test
Verdict
Bangladesh have an edge over Zimbabwe in the overall record between the two teams as per the preview of Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe 2021 ODI series. Moreover, the current Bangladesh team is stronger than Zimbabwe's ODI setup, and they will begin the series as favorites. We should expect a competitive showdown between the two sides as Zimbabwe is hosting the series.
BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021: Bangladesh Player Ratings
Bangladesh comfortably defeated Zimbabwe by 220 runs in a one-off Test in Harare on Sunday (11th July). They secured the victory on the final day. Bangladesh have also won their first Test series in Zimbabwe with this victory. Previously, Bangladesh played four longer-version series in Zimbabwe. They lost three of them and drew one.Bangladesh dominated the match as Zimbabwe were completely outplayed by a high-spirited Bangladesh Test side. Zimbabwe's overall performance were unsatisfactory while Bangladeshi players had a fantastic time during the match. Bangladesh player ratings for the BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021 are mentioned in this article.
Bangladesh Player Ratings of BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021
We have compiled ratings for all of players of Bangladesh following the end of the BAN-ZIM Test series, which are given below...
Saif Hasan (3/10)
Inn: 2 | Runs: 43 | Ave: 21.50 | HS: 43 | 100s: 0
Saif Hasan squandered two chances to score big on a batting-friendly Harare surface. He scored 43 runs in the second inning after being scoreless in the first innings.
Read Bangladesh's Overseas Victories in Test Cricket in the Last Two Decades
Shadman Islam (7/10)
Inn: 2|Runs: 138 | Ave: 138 | HS: 115* | 100s: 1
Shadman Islam was picked to the playing XI in place of veteran Tamim Iqbal, and he took advantage of the opportunity by scoring a well-deserved century in the second innings.
Najmul Hossain Shanto(7/10)
Inn: 2|Runs: 119 | Ave: 119 | HS: 117* | 100s: 1
Talented top-order batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto scored a century in the second innings after hitting an unbeaten 117* off 118 balls knock.
Read:Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 220 runs in one-off Test
Mominul Haque (7/10)
Inn: 1| Runs: 70 | Ave: 70 | HS: 70 | 100s: 0
Mominul Haque scored 70 runs in the first innings and led the team well in Bangladesh's maiden Test series triumph in Zimbabwe.
Mushfiqur Rahim (2/10)
Inn: 1| Runs: 11 | Ave: 11 | HS: 11 | 100s: 0
Veteran Mushfiqur Rahim was unable to seize the opportunity to play a huge knock on a flat track At Harare Sports Club.
Shakib Al Hasan(7/10)
Inn: 1|Runs: 3 | Ave: 3 | HS: 3 | 100s: 0 |
Inn: 2 | Wickets: 5 | Econ: 2.10 | BBI: 4/82 | 5W: 0
Shakib was unable to make an impact with the bat. However, his contribution with the ball was huge in the first innings.
Read Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2021: Test Series Preview
Liton Das (6/10)
Inn: 1| Runs: 95 | Ave: 95 | HS: 95 | 100s: 0
Liton scored 95 in the first innings. He seemed to be on his way to a huge innings until losing his wicket to Donald Tiripano.
Mahmudullah Riyad (10/10)
Inn: 1|Runs: 150* | Ave: -- | HS: 150* | 100s: 1
MahmudullahRiyad silenced his critics with a stunning 150*-run knock in the first innings. Unfortunately, Mahmudullah has already stated that he would no longer play Test cricket.
MehidyHasanMiraz (8/10)
Inn: 1| Runs: 0 | Ave: 0 | HS: 0 | 100s: 0
Inn: 2 | Wickets: 9 | Econ: 2.40 | BBI: 5/82 | 5W: 1
Bangladesh's most successful bowler in this one-off Test series was MehidyHasanMiraz. He took nine wickets, including a fifer in the first innings.
Read: BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021: Five Things We Learned From The One-Off Test
Taskin Ahmed (9/10)
Inn: 1| Runs: 75| Ave: 75 | HS: 75 | 100s: 0
Inn: 2 | Wickets: 5 | Econ: 2.10 | BBI: 4/82 | 5W: 0
Taskin Ahmed produced a fantastic performance in this Test match. He scored a career-best 75-run in the first innings and set a record partnership with Mahmdullah for the 9th wicket. Taskin bowled well in the second innings as well.
Ebadot Hossain(2/10)
Inn: 1| Runs: 0 | Ave: 0 | HS:0 | 100s: 0
Inn: 2 | Wickets: 1 | Econ: 3.03 | BBI: 1/39 | 5W: 0
Ebadot just took one wicket and he had a rather quiet match.
Read:Mahmudullah says “dramatic” goodbye to Test cricket, given guard of honour
Bottom Line
With the exception of a few, the Bangladesh player ratings for the BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021 suggest that almost everyone had a productive outing during the match. Mahmudullah Riyad, who just retired from Test cricket, delivered a match-winning knock in this match. The main highlight of the match was his 191-run partnership with pacer Taskin Ahmed for the ninth wicket in the first innings. Including this victory, Bangladesh have only won two Tests in nearly three years.
Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 220 runs in one-off Test
Riding on three wonderful centuries and brilliant bowling, Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 220 runs in the one-off Test in Harare on Sunday.
Mahmudullah won the man of the match award for his unbeaten 150 in the first innings of the match. The right-hand all-rounder shocked everyone after scoring his best innings in the format as he announced he was retiring from Test.
Shadman Islam (115) registered his maiden ton in the format in the second innings; Najmul Hossain Shanto his second (117). They posted 196 runs in the second-wicket stand of the same innings, which helped Bangladesh set a target of 477 for the hosts.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who bagged five wickets in the first innings, took four in the second one. He took nine wickets conceding 148 runs, the best bowling figures for a Bangladeshi in an away Test.
Also read: PM greets Tigers for Test series win against Zimbabwe
The all-rounder surpassed right-hand pacer Robiul Islam, who claimed nine wickets for 155 runs against the same opponent at the same venue in 2013.
BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021: Five Things We Learned From The One-Off Test
Bangladesh won the one-off Test against Zimbabwe by 220 runs on Sunday (11th July) at the Harare Sports Club and also sealed the longer version series 1-0. Bangladesh dominated the match for the majority of the time. Shadman Islam took injured Tamim Iqbal's place in the playing XI and seized the opportunity by scoring a responsible century in the second innings. Mahmudullah Riyad, Taskin Ahmed, Najmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, and Shakib Al Hasan all played well for Bangladesh in the match. In this article, we discussed the five things we learned from the lone Test of BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021.
Five Things We Learned From the BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021
This was Bangladesh's first Test victory in more than one year. Apart from this, Bangladesh's last Test win came in February 2020 against Zimbabwe. All of the senior players took part in this match with the exception of Tamim Iqbal, who was ruled out due to a knee injury.
Bowlers are Key in Winning Test Matches
Cricket experts believe that bowlers must be able to take regular wickets in order to win consistently in Test cricket. In light of this, Bangladesh cruised to win against Zimbabwe despite Harare's batting-friendly pitch.
Bangladesh scored 468 runs in their first innings. Zimbabwe responded well at the start of their innings, but were bowled out for only 276 runs in their first innings. Shakib and Mehdi both bowled well in the first innings for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh batters looked solid in the second innings, setting Zimbabwe a target of 477 runs to win. But in the chase, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 256 runs. The Bangladeshi bowlers made a major contribution to this Test's victory.
Read Mominul “not well-informed” about Mahmudullah’s retirement
Spinners are Bangladesh's Main Strike Bowlers
Shakib Al Hasan and Mehdi Hasan Miraj were the most successful bowlers against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe were knocked out for a low total in the first innings due to the excellent bowling of these two spinners. Taskin Ahmed bowled well in the second innings and took four wickets, but spinners played the most crucial roles in the contest. So, there is no doubt that spinners are Bangladesh's main strike bowlers.
Mahmudullah Riyad is Still Capable to Play Test Cricket
Veteran batsman Mahmudullah Riyad showed once again that he is still equally good at playing Test cricket with an unbeaten 150*-run knock in the first innings. However, Mahmudullah has already announced his retirement from Test. Experienced players like Mahmudullah Riyad should play more longer-version cricket if Bangladesh want to improve in the Test format.
Read Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 220 runs in one-off Test
Alternatives of Senior Cricketers are being developed
The lack of a proper pipeline is one of Bangladesh cricket's most serious problems. However, there is a reason for optimism after Taskin Ahmed, Sadman Islam, Nazmul Hossain, and Mehedi Hasan Miraj's performances in the Test match.
Bangladesh dominated in the match thanks to their outstanding performance. Taskin took 5 wickets in the match and scored 75 runs in the first innings, while Miraz got 9 wickets. Among the batsmen, Shadman and Najmul struck a century each in the second innings. We can expect that veteran cricketers in Bangladesh's squad will have strong options in the near future.
Read Mahmudullah says “dramatic” goodbye to Test cricket, given guard of honour
The Quality of Zimbabwe's Cricket has deteriorated
At one point, famous cricketers like Andrew Flower and Grant Flower brought Zimbabwe cricket to the spotlight. However, there is currently no world-class player on the Zimbabwe squad, which is a major area of concern for the country's cricket development. Zimbabwean cricket will go down further if no action is taken soon.
Bottom Line
After analyzing the performances of the Bangladesh players in the only match of the BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021, it is evident that they had a productive match. Mahmudullah Riyad once again demonstrated that he is still capable of playing Test cricket with a magnificent performance with the bat while young players had demonstrated their cricketing talents. On the other side, Zimbabwe were unable to capitalize on their home-ground advantage and underperformed throughout the match. Overall, the Bangladeshi players and Captain Mominul Haque, who has yet to lose a Test match against Zimbabwe, have gained a lot of confidence from this match.
Read Bangladesh seven wickets away from a win in Harare
Mahmudullah says “dramatic” goodbye to Test cricket, given guard of honour
Bangladesh allrounder and T20 captain Mahmudullah Riyad was presented a guard of honour by his team mates as he bade an emotional farewell to Test cricket ahead of the fifth day’s play in the Harare Test against Zimbabwe.
The right-handed allrounder reportedly informed his teammates about his retirement ahead third day’s play of the match. He, however, didn’t say anything about it to the media.
Read:Bangladesh seven wickets away from a win in Harare
Before getting selected for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, Mahmudullh was out of the longer version of the game for more than 17 months. He hit an unbeaten 150 in this comeback Test, which will now be his last Test innings.
A Bangladeshi media reported from Harare that Mahmudullah last night gave an impression that he is going to rethink this retirement. But he didn’t.
“He didn’t inform me anything officially about it,” Nazmul Hasan, the BCB president, told a national daily earlier. “I came to know from someone else. But it’s not acceptable to me. It’s unusual. We are playing a Test now. The match is yet to end.”
Nazmul also said that the decision of Mahmudullah surprised him more because the allrounder agreed to play in all formats for the Tigers what he has said to the board in the written consent.
“He was a last-minute inclusion to the Test side because he wrote to us that he would play Test if he gets a chance,” Nazmul added. “We asked every national team member to inform us in what formats they prefer to play, and Mahmudullah told us he is up for every format.”
Read:Shadman, Shanto hit centuries as Bangladesh secure 476-run lead
Bangladesh's Overseas Victories in Test Cricket in the Last Two Decades
Bangladesh have played 58 Test matches away from home since gaining Test status in 2000. They have played most 14 overseas Tests against Sri Lanka and have only managed to win one of them. They've also won a couple of away Tests against West Indies and one more against Zimbabwe. Bangladesh won their most recent away Test against Sri Lanka in 2017. Bangladesh have steadily improved as a cricketing nation, but in order to improve in the longer version format, they must excel outside of the country. Let's take a look at Bangladesh's overseas victories in Test cricket in the last two decades.
Bangladesh's Four Overseas Test Wins
Bangladesh have competed in a lot of thrilling cricket matches away from home, but have only won four of them. Here are all Bangladesh's overseas Test victories.
1) 1st Test against West Indies (2009)
Venue: Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent
Result: Bangladesh won by 95 runs
It was the first of a two-match Test series against the Windies back in 2009. Bangladesh were the clear favorite to win the series against a second-tier Windies team. Bangladesh won by 95 runs on day 5 and took a 1-0 lead in the series. Bangladesh batted first and were knocked out for 238 runs, while the Windies made 307 runs in their first innings. Tamim Iqbal shined in the second innings, scoring 128 runs and guiding Bangladesh to a 276-run lead. In the chase, the Windies were all-out for 181 thanks to Mahmudullah Riyad's 5-wicket haul.
Read Bangladesh bat first in Harare
2) 2nd Test against West Indies (2009)
Venue: National Cricket Stadium, St George's, Grenada
Result: Bangladesh won by 4 wickets
Bangladesh were needed a draw to win the series. However, after winning the second Test by four wickets, they won the series 2-0. During the match, both teams' bowlers achieved success. The Windies scored 237 runs in their first innings, while Bangladesh scored 232. The Windies were bowled out for 209 runs in their second innings and Bangladesh chased down the 215-run target for the loss of six wickets on day four. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was outstanding, taking 5 wickets in the Windies' second innings and scoring an unbeaten 96* runs while chasing the target.
Read Two Zimbabwe cricketers forced to isolate ahead of Bangladesh Test
3) 2nd Test against Zimbabwe (2004)
Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare
Result: Bangladesh won by 143 runs
After winning the second Test match by 143 runs at Harare Sports Club in Harare, Bangladesh drew the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe. Bangladesh scored a massive 391 runs in their first innings and bowled Zimbabwe out for 282 runs. Bangladesh declared their second innings 291/9d after taking a 109-run lead. Zimbabwe only managed to score 257 runs in the hunt of a mammoth 401 runs. Player of the match-winner Mushfiqur Rahim played two good innings (60 & 93) for Bangladesh.
Read Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2021: Test Series Preview
4) 2nd Test against Sri Lanka (2017)
Venue: Colombo (PSS)
Result: Bangladesh won by 4 wickets
It was without a doubt Bangladesh's finest overseas Test victory to date. They needed to win this match to level the series. Bangladesh won the match by four wickets thanks to Tamim Iqbal's brilliant performance in the second innings. Bangladesh scored 467 runs in the first innings in response to Sri Lanka's 338, taking a 129-run advantage. Sri Lanka managed to score 319 runs in their second innings, setting a target of 191 runs for Bangladesh. Tamim came out to bat with a lot of determination and played a crucial 82-run innings on day 5. Bangladesh won the match in the final session of the day.
Read Former Lankan analyst handed seven-year ban for bribery
Bottom Line
When we look at Bangladesh's overseas victories in Test cricket in the last two decades it's evident that the team tigers' best away Test win came in 2017 against Sri Lanka at P Sara Oval in Colombo. Winning the Test series against a second-tier Windies side in 2009 was also a noteworthy achievement, as it was Bangladesh's first-ever away Test series victory.
Bangladesh bat first in Harare
Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.
Tamim Iqbal, the left-handed opener, has been overlooked in this match due to a leg injury. Shadman Islam and Saif Hassan are to open for the Tigers.
Read:Two Zimbabwe cricketers forced to isolate ahead of Bangladesh Test
Mahmudullah Riyad, the right-handed opener, is back in the playing XI after the Rawalpindi Test in 2020.
Shakib Al Hasan, who was out of the Test team in the Sri Lanka series, also made a comeback to the Test side.
Meanwhile, the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman, Brendan Taylor, will lead Zimbabwe in this match as the regular Test captain Sean Williams is not available. He went to self-isolation after he came in contact with a family member who tested positive for Covid-19.
Read:Mominul eyes victory in Zimbabwe Test, match kicks off at 1:30 pm Bangladesh time
After the one-off Test, both the teams will lock horns in three ODIs and as many T20Is. All the matches will be played at the Harare Sports Club. While the ODIs will take place on July 16, 18, and 20, the T20Is will be played on July 23, 25, and 27, respectively.
Bangladesh’s last Zimbabwe tour was in 2013 when the Tigers ended up the series in a draw winning one of the two-match series.
Overall, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe took each other in nine Test series. Of them, Zimbabwe won four and Bangladesh came up victorious in three, while the other two ended up in a draw each.
Read:Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2021: Test Series Preview
Bangladesh (Playing XI): Shadman Islam, Saif Hassan, Mominul Haque(c), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Liton Das(w), Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain
Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Milton Shumba, Brendan Taylor(c), Dion Myers, Timycen Maruma, Roy Kaia, Regis Chakabva(w), Donald Tiripano, Victor Nyauchi, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 2021: Test Series Preview
Despite losing the most recent home series against Sri Lanka in May, Bangladesh will be a tough opponent for the host Zimbabwe in the one-off Test series, which begins on Wednesday at the Harare Sports Club Arena. Zimbabwe also lost their most recent Test series against Pakistan at home. So, both sides will be looking to return in winning momentum in this series. Zimbabwe have been struggling on the international stage lately, therefore Bangladesh are the overwhelming favorite to win this Test series. Here we present a preview of Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe 2021 Test Series. It will give you an insight into the two teams' strengths.
Notable Test record between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe
Bangladesh tour of Zimbabwe will kick off with the one-off Test series. Bangladesh will then play three ODIs and three T20Is during the tour. Here are some head-to-head notable Test records between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
# Three of the nine bilateral Test series between the two sides have been won by Bangladesh. Zimbabwe have won four series and two have ended in a draw.
# Mushfiqur Rahim has scored the most (846) runs for Bangladesh, while Brendon Taylor (1,066) is topping the list of most runs.
Read BAN vs ZIM: Five Most Memorable Matches Between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe
# Taijul Islam has taken the most (41) wickets for Bangladesh, while Kyle Jarvis (24) has taken the most wickets for Zimbabwe.
# Mushfiqur Rahim made the highest individual score (219*) for Bangladesh, while Brendon Taylor played the highest individual innings (171) for Zimbabwe.
# Taijul Islam has the best bowling figures for Bangladesh (8/39), while Douglas Hondo has the best bowling figures for Zimbabwe (6/59).
Read:Shakib, Mehidy star in practice match
Probable Bangladesh Playing XI
BCB announced an 18-man squad for the one-off Test series against Zimbabwe. Bangladesh’s pacers have done well in the recent international series, that’s why the selectors have picked four pacers in Bangladesh’s longer version squad.
The selectors have included three genuine spinners apart from all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. Experienced wicket-keeper Nurul Hasan Sohan has been recalled to the Bangladesh team after a two-year absence along with veteran Mahmudullah Riyad. Apart from that, most of the predicted names have been included in this squad.
Captain Mominul Haque and four other senior members of the squad, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Shakib Al Hasan, are all available for the series and will be in charge of marshalling the troops against an inexperienced Zimbabwean side.
Read BAN vs. ZIM Test Series 2021: Big Takeaways From the Warm-Up Match
The players who can make a difference
Tamim Iqbal: Test: 64 | Runs: 4,788 | HS: 206 | AVE: 39.57
Shakib Al Hasan: Test: 57 | Runs: 3,930 | HS: 217 | Wkts: 210 | BBI: 7/36
Mushfiqur Rahim: Test: 74 | Runs: 4,685 | HS:219* | AVE: 37.18
Predicted Bangladesh Playing XI:
Tamim Iqbal, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, NurulHasan (wk), MehediHasanMiraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed, Shoriful Islam
Read:Windies vs South Africa T20I Series 2021: SA Clinch the Series Against WI
Probable Zimbabwe Playing XI
On Thursday (July 1), Zimbabwe C named a 20-man squad for the one-off Test match against Bangladesh. The Zimbabwe Cricket Board confirmed that Sean Williams will act as captain for the series.
Zimbabwe's selectors have picked four uncapped players in their squad for this lone Test match. They've all amassed enough first-class experience to be called up to the national side.
The selectors have picked veteran players such as Brendan Taylor, Donald Tiripano, Regis Chakabva, and Craig Ervine in addition to the newcomers for the longer version match against Bangladesh.
Read England vs Sri Lanka ODI Series 2021: Eng Seal the Series Against SL
The players who can make a difference
Regis Chakabva: Test:11 | Runs: 1,029 | HS: 101 | AVE: 27.07
Brendan Taylor: Test: 33 | Runs: 2,147 | HS: 171 | AVE: 34.62
Donald Tiripano: Test: 14 | Wkts: 24 | BBI: 3/23 | Runs: 454 | HS: 95
Predicted Zimbabwe Playing XI:
Kevin Kasuza, TarisaiMusakanda, Regis Chakabva (wk), Brendan Taylor (Captain), Milton Shumba, TendaiChisoro, Luke Jongwe, Donald Tiripano, Roy Kaia, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
Read:Tigers to play a warm-up match ahead of crucial Zimbabwe series
Verdict
Both teams will bid to secure this series after losing their last one at home. The one-off Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe 2021 Test Series Preview shows that Bangladesh are considerably ahead of Zimbabwe in terms of the overall Test record between these two teams. Moreover, the current Bangladesh squad is stronger than Zimbabwe and they will start as the favorite in the series. So, we can expect a good contest between the two low-ranked Test teams.
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