adminWounded Tigers are at each other’s throats after their slaying by the Chevrons.
Bangladesh crashed to a 1-2 T20I series defeat, at the hands of Zimbabwe, at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.
Tigers team director, Khaled Mahmud, is an angry man, in the wake of that defeat, which he has now termed a “disgrace.”
He claims his team is better than the Chevrons.
“I am very disappointed, I didn’t expect to lose to Zimbabwe. We are a better team than them,” he told Cricbuzz.
“I would call it a disgrace. I won’t give any excuses. We should have won the T20I series. Losing was quite unusual.
“When we needed 10 or 12 runs an over, we were getting six or seven every over. Nobody even tried to hit a six.
“Everyone was playing for ones and twos. What was that? They batted like trying to protect their place, make enough runs so that they don’t lose their place.”
He said the application by the Tigers was wrong.
“When you are chasing 157, you can’t win a game by batting at 90 or 110 strike-rate.
“Someone had to go after the bowling.
“Look at their (Ryan Burl and Luke Jongwe) strike-rate. They changed the complexion of the game.
“You can’t expect Litton Das to score every day. Whether it was Afif or Shanto, I didn’t see anyone batting aggressively. If you can’t pull a short ball for six, that’s going to be a problem.”
Mahmud said the squad was made of their best T20I players.
“If your best players don’t perform, there’s nothing you can do. The cricketers can tell you what they have to do.
“They have been getting opportunities for quite some time now.”
Regis Chakabva will captain Zimbabwe in the three-match One-Day international (ODI) series against Bangladesh.
Regular skipper Craig Ervine will miss the series as he looks to fully recuperate from the hamstring and knee niggles he has been nursing.
The hosts will also be without all-rounder Sean Williams, who has been granted permission by Zimbabwe Cricket, to attend to some personal matters.
The first ODI will be played at Harare Sports Club today, before the two sides lock horns again on Sunday.
The third and final game is scheduled for next Wednesday at the same venue.
ZIMBABWE ODI SQUAD
Burl Ryan, Chakabva Regis (captain), Evans Bradley, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Kaitano Takudzwanashe, Madhevere Wessly, Marumani Tadiwanashe, Masakadza Wellington, Munyonga Tony, Musakanda Tarisai, Ngarava Richard, Nyauchi Victor, Raza Sikandar, Shumba Milton – CNN-News18/zimcricket
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