Tigers Aim to Bounce Back

After the heroics in Harare on Monday, when Zimbabwe won an intriguing Test match against Bangladesh, cricket returns to the format the two teams play most often. An ODI series between them is not a rare thing and the players know each other so well that most of them see each other as colleagues, not opponents. In the last two years, they have played three five-match series against each other, with Bangladesh winning all three; two at home, one away.

Their dominance over Zimbabwe may suggest that Bangladesh are firm favourites on the eve this series, but the tables have turned a little. Zimbabwe are the darlings of the cricket world after winning their comeback Test and will want to maintain their status with a convincing performance in the ODIs. Their most recent showing in the fifty-over format, at the 2011 World Cup, was disappointing. They registered just one win over minnows Kenya and their five defeats meant that any outside chance they had of making it to the quarter-finals quickly disappeared.

They haven't played an ODI since March, and with all the focus on their Test return, they will have to adjust quickly to this version of the game. With exciting players like batsman Forster Mutizwa and seamers Brian Vitori and Tendai Chatara coming through the franchise system, Zimbabwe have a lot of talent to show off and there would be no better time to do so than now, at the start of a summer that will see them also host Pakistan and New Zealand.

Bangladesh were widely expected to progress to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, but defeats to India, West Indies and South Africa undid the hard work they put into their wins over Ireland, England and Netherlands. In the only series they have played in the aftermath of their World Cup exit, Australia made a mockery of them, showing that the gap between Bangladesh and some of the other teams still exists.

With talk of disharmony in the camp, general regression and Shakib Al Hasan's captaincy under scrutiny, Bangladesh will be looking to let their on-field efforts answer the questions that are swirling around them. Stuart Law's tenure as coach didn't start in the best way but this is also an opportunity for him to stamp his style on the team. Junaid Siddique, who was not included in the one-off Test, should find his way back into the playing XI for the ODIs. Mohammad Ashraful, who showed some form in that Test, is also likely to play after missing out on the series against Australia, and Nasir Hossain, the 19-year-old offspinner, could make his debut.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Shahriar Nafees, 5 Mohammad Ashraful, 6 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 8 Abdur Razzak, 9 Shafiul Islam, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Nasir Hossain

Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Brendan Taylor (capt), 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Vusi Sibanda, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 6 Forster Mutizwa, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Ray Price, 10 Brian Vitori, 11 Chris Mpofu.

Head to Head

Matches:51

Bangladesh won: 28

Zimbabwe won: 23

Form guide (most recent first)

Zimbabwe WLLLL

Bangladesh LLLLW

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