Series first, then testing
The selectors on Sunday night announced a team only for the third ODI against Zimbabwe which will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur tomorrow as they are planning to go for some experimentation in the last two games. And the testing will go on only if the Tigers confirm the series tomorrow after the hosts won the first two matches in Chittagong convincingly.
If everything goes according to plan, the team management then may give rest to skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. It's however yet to confirm whether he will be rested for one match or two. The team think-tank wants to try out three to four players in the last two games keeping World Cup in mind if the hosts win the third ODI as expected. Left-handed opener Tamim Iqbal is suffering from a hamstring injury, but according to sources it's not serious.
Mashrafe not only successfully led his side to the 2-0 lead but also was adjudged player-of-the-match, which he earned after a four-year break, in the second game. But for the team management the most encouraging fact was that the bowler didn't receive any injury. And according to sources it's now all but confirmed that the Narail Express will lead the team in the World Cup next year in Australia and New Zealand if he remains fit. Before the World Cup, Bangladesh are likely to play a tournament in Dubai along with Zimbabwe and the four Associate qualifiers -- Afghanistan, Ireland, Scotland and the UAE -- in January.
The hosts' focus now should be to sweep the series clean.
Bangladesh team returned to Dhaka yesterday along with the visiting Zimbabwe side after successful missions in Khulna and Chittagong. It's now time for the Tigers to give a perfect finishing touch to the so-far-magnificent home series against the southern African nation.
They started their mission with a hard-fought three-wicket win in the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur and improved their performances gradually to outclass their closest opponents and now they need to stay focused when they play the remaining three ODIs in Mirpur on November 26, 28 and December 1.
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