Bangladesh to tour Zimbabwe for three ODIs and three T20Is

Bangladesh are scheduled to tour Zimbabwe later in the month for three ODIs and as many T20Is. According to reports, the Asian team is expected to leave on July 22 for the tour. They will also play a warm-up One-day game on July 25, followed by the ODI matches on July 28, 30 and August 1.

The three T20Is will be played on  August 4, 6 and 8 respectively, and all matches will be hosted in Harare, reported Cricbuzz. Bangladesh are currently on the West Indies tour and will be playing the third T20I of the three-match series in Providence, Guyana, on July 7, Thursday. The subsequent three-match ODI series of the tour will commence on July 10 and end on July 16.

Meanwhile, the first T20I between West Indies and Bangladesh was washed out due to rain and ended without a result. It was initially reduced to a 13-over match and the visitors scored 105 for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted overs. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan top-scored with 29 runs off 15 balls, coming in at number three. Wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan also contributed, scoring 25 runs off 16 balls.

The pick of the West Indian bowlers was fast bowling all-rounder Romario Shepherd, who finished with bowling figures of three wickets for 21 runs in three overs. In the second T20I, Nicholas Pooran’s side batted first and amassed a total of 193 for the loss of five wickets. Opener Brandon King scored 57 runs off 43 balls, and Pooran scored 34 runs off 30 balls. Rovman Powell, coming in at number five, top-scored with an unbeaten 61 runs off 28 balls.

Bangladesh, in reply, faced an early setback, losing both their openers, Anamul Haque and Litton Das in the second over. Shakib top-scored once again for Bangladesh with an unbeaten 68 runs off 52 balls, and Afif Hossain complemented with 34 runs off 27 balls. However, Bangladesh fells short by 35 runs, as they finished with 158 runs for six wickets in 20 overs. With Windies leading the series 1-0, it is a must-win game for the visitors in the final T20I.

Shakib will be unavailable for ODIs and the Zimbabwe tour

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have confirmed that Shakib will be unavailable for the ODI series against West Indies and the Zimbabwe tour. BCB cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus confirmed the all-rounder’s unavailability and also said that most of the senior players will be available for the upcoming match.

“Shakib is not available in the Zimbabwe tour and informed us about it before and so we sat with selection panel regarding the formation of the team,” Jalal was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “Most of the other senior players are available and they want to play,” he added further.