Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to field in the first of three Twenty20 internationals against Ireland at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
Confident skipper Craig Ervine said Saturday that Zimbabwe had a "huge" chance to reach the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals, praising new coach Dave Houghton for instilling belief in the team.
Zimbabwe are hoping the positivity they showed to secure a shock victory over Australia can give them the momentum needed to make an impact at this year's Twenty20 World Cup.
Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal did not hesitate to admit that Zimbabwe won the three-match ODI with one match in hand on Sunday as the better team.
The best of players are known to crave the pressure of performing against the wind, when chips are down. On Friday, Sikandar Raza made audiences witness once again that pressure makes diamonds as his gem of a knock, a 109-ball 135, entered into Zimbabwe cricket folklore.
Despite the fact that there were few fresh faces in Bangladesh's batting department to provide freedom to the relatively younger players in the first T20I against Zimbabwe, it was a full-strength bowling attack, barring the absent Shakib Al Hasan, that was made to look ordinary in Harare yesterday.
Following a host of discussions about revamping the T20I side following the Tigers’ poor performances in the shortest format of the game, national selectors opted for two fresh faces, including pacer Hasan Mahmud and uncapped opener Parvez Hossain Emon in the 14-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe.
Hosts Zimbabwe and the Netherlands filled the last two places for the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia by winning their qualifying tournament semi-finals in Bulawayo on Friday.
Boycotts, protests and the occasional surprise victory once ensured Zimbabwe's place in cricket's consciousness, yet now they are battling for relevance, reduced to facing Singapore, Jersey and the United States this month for a World Cup berth.
Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to field in the first of three Twenty20 internationals against Ireland at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
Confident skipper Craig Ervine said Saturday that Zimbabwe had a "huge" chance to reach the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals, praising new coach Dave Houghton for instilling belief in the team.
Zimbabwe are hoping the positivity they showed to secure a shock victory over Australia can give them the momentum needed to make an impact at this year's Twenty20 World Cup.
Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal did not hesitate to admit that Zimbabwe won the three-match ODI with one match in hand on Sunday as the better team.
The best of players are known to crave the pressure of performing against the wind, when chips are down. On Friday, Sikandar Raza made audiences witness once again that pressure makes diamonds as his gem of a knock, a 109-ball 135, entered into Zimbabwe cricket folklore.
Despite the fact that there were few fresh faces in Bangladesh's batting department to provide freedom to the relatively younger players in the first T20I against Zimbabwe, it was a full-strength bowling attack, barring the absent Shakib Al Hasan, that was made to look ordinary in Harare yesterday.
Following a host of discussions about revamping the T20I side following the Tigers’ poor performances in the shortest format of the game, national selectors opted for two fresh faces, including pacer Hasan Mahmud and uncapped opener Parvez Hossain Emon in the 14-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe.
Hosts Zimbabwe and the Netherlands filled the last two places for the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia by winning their qualifying tournament semi-finals in Bulawayo on Friday.
Boycotts, protests and the occasional surprise victory once ensured Zimbabwe's place in cricket's consciousness, yet now they are battling for relevance, reduced to facing Singapore, Jersey and the United States this month for a World Cup berth.
Bangladesh star cricketer Shakib Al Hasan will be unavailable for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe, the all-rounder had already informed it to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).