Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER a dominant display in the one-off Test against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe Cricket have announced five changes to the side that will seek to keep the momentum up when they kickstart their One-Day International rivalry with the visitors at Harare Sports Club on Monday.
Zimbabwe have turned to experienced all-rounder Ryan Burl, Clive Madande, Wellington Masakadza, Ernest Masuku and all-rounder Sikandar Raza in the 15-member squad for the white-ball series.
The trio of Burl, Madande and Masuku had significant game time in the recent tour of Bangladesh with the Zimbabwe A side.
Masakadza, who was not selected for the Test is also back in the fold for the shorter format, while Raza joined the side from England where he has been participating in the Vitality Blast with county side Worcestershire.
Veterans Brendan Taylor and Graeme Cremer, who were part of the victorious Test side have been sidelined along with Roy Kaia, Tanaka Chivanga and Tafadzwa Tsiga.
Zimbabwe, who are returning to international action for the first time since the T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka in February, will be looking to build on home advantage. They have assembled a fair squad for the task.
Fresh from scoring a maiden Test century in the Chevrons’ impressive innings-and-85-run triumph over Bangladesh earlier this week, Innocent Kaia has been rewarded with selection in the ODI squad, joining fellow top-order batters Ben Curran and Brian Bennett.
The series will also usher in a new era in Zimbabwe’s ODI leadership, with Richard Ngarava set to captain the side in the format for the first time.
Ngarava, who also led the team for the first time in Tests during the week, is expected to draw on the experience of senior players Craig Ervine and Raza, as Zimbabwe seek to carry their recent momentum into the 50-over game.
Ngarava will lead a pace attack that also features Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri and Masuku. Zimbabwe’s pace bowling was in top form during the Test series, twice bowling out the visitors to hand the hosts a deserved triumph. The squad’s spin-bowling resources comprise all-rounders Burl and Wessly Madhevere together with the returning left-arm spinner, Masakadza.
For wicketkeeping duties, the selectors have retained Tadiwanashe Marumani and Clive Madande, who have been exchanging the roles in the white ball matches in recent times.
Zimbabwe last played ODI cricket in August last year, when they hosted Sri Lanka for a two-match series at Harare Sports Club and the upcoming ODI and Twenty20 International series against the Tigers will be key ahead of a busy winter calendar.
While Zimbabwe will take confidence from the recent Test result, the upcoming ODI series is expected to present a different challenge.
Bangladesh entered the contest in strong limited-overs form, having won four consecutive bilateral ODI series before arriving in Zimbabwe, including a landmark series triumph over Australia last month.
The Tigers have kept faith in the ODI squad that upset the Australians 2-1 before their trip to Zimbabwe. ODI skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was left out of the Test squad, is set to return and lead the ODI squad.
Bangladesh have also included Litton Das into the ODI squad after the right-hander had been excluded from the one-off Test series due to injury. Historically, the Tigers have dominated the ODI rivalry, winning 51 of the 81 matches played between the two nations, with Zimbabwe claiming 30 victories.
However, the Chevrons can draw inspiration from their last ODI meeting with Bangladesh, when they secured a 2-1 series victory at home in 2022. The ODI series is scheduled to start on Monday at Harare Sports Club with the other two matches slated for next Thursday and Saturday.
Thereafter, competition will move to Bulawayo for a three match T20I series set for Queens Sports Club.
ZIMBABWE SQUAD:
Richard Ngarava (Captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Ben Curran, Craig Ervine, Brad Evans, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Ernest Masuku, Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri, Sikandar Raza.
BANGLADESH SQUAD:
Mehidy Hassan Miraz (Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Mohammed Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (Vice-Captain), Tawhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana.
