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Bangladesh have a rare opportunity in Chittagong to answer some of the most commonly-asked questions fired in their direction.
Can they maintain their form and consistency? Do they have it in them to sweep the series 3-0? And having already secured the series, how will they react as a unit in the final game? These are scenarios completely new to the hosts, so the fans will be eagerly awaiting the team’s response in the third Test.
But what would truly excite the Chittagong faithful is the prospect of yet another all-round show from Shakib Al Hasan, and seeing their hometown hero Tamim Iqbal back in form.
By becoming only the third player after Ian Botham and Imran Khan to score a hundred and take 10 wickets in the same Test, Shakib has regained his exalted position in the country, and will be feted duly at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium where large crowds are expected.
The fans will also get to see first-hand Bangladesh’’s new-look spin attack, which has caused Zimbabwe a lot of misery. The visitors, as a result, have a lot more to think about, including learning to negotiate spin. While Zimbabwe have shown promise, it has been only in spurts, and has come and gone quickly in their second innings in both Dhaka and Khulna. Those two implosions cost them the series, but Zimbabwe will still want to give a strong display of their Test credentials.
Hamilton Masakadza has been the only player confident against spin, and so Zimbabwe would hope for the likes of captain Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine, who is making a comeback to the team to offer more resistance. The turning ball is likely to be the most talked about topic in this Test as well, although the Chittagong pitch will be stacked heavily against pace and spin.
“The toss will be crucial, you don’t want to be batting on day five in these conditions. But that’s out of our control. We just have to play each day take it as it comes and play as best as we can,” said Taylor.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe has offered Bangladesh a shorter version game tour of the country in January next year. — Cricinfo
Online Reporter