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Zimbabwe will be hoping for a more polished performance when they meet Bangladesh in the second Twenty20 encounter in Khulna this afternoon.
Both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe view this series as a chance to experiment ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup, but neither side could fiddle too much during the first T20.
Maybe today might be different.
For the hosts, the fact Bangladesh won the first T20 encounter in a manner that they did, reflects the growing quality gap between the sides and it is a chip on the Chevrons shoulders they will be hoping to exorcise.
Mashrafe Mortaza was happy to see Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah vacate higher batting spots and use their experience well to steer Bangladesh to a win, but said he would have liked to use Shuvagata Hom’s offspin at some stage.
Shuvagata also failed with the bat at No 4.
It wasn’t new for the experienced batsmen to be doing their job, but seeing them adapt to new roles was pleasing for Bangladesh’s captain.
Zimbabwe’s experienced duo of Hamilton Masakadza and Vusi Sibanda starting superbly with the bat but the likes of Elton Chigumbura, Sikandar Raza and Malcolm Waller were unable to capitalise on the 101-run opening stand.
During that match, Masakadza’s 79 equalled his and Zimbabwe’s highest individual score in T20Is.
After the match the opener said, “I think it was more of positives from the way we started our batting and at some stages our spinners bowled well as well.
“So there were few positives to take out of the game,” he said.
Zimbabwe will also be unhappy with their fielding effort, with Sibanda dropping Sabbir Rahman at a crucial stage.
There are likely to be changes in both sides in today’s encounter, even if it doesn’t mean personnel changes as much as batsmen and bowlers assuming new roles.
But no matter what the team managements will try, the first T20 was proof that both sets of players weren’t forgetting two fundamental roles while playing T20 cricket; providing entertainment and enjoying themselves.
It came down to the last eight balls in the first game, and if the second T20 goes down to the wire it won’t be a huge surprise.
Sabbir Rahman would have liked to stay at the crease until the end of Bangladesh’s successful chase in the first game, but his 46 was heartening given how he grasped the chance to bat at number three.
“I think winning the first game of the year was quite useful. This series is very important for us ahead of the Asia Cup.
“We want to win all four games,” he said.
Vusi Sibanda played second fiddle to Hamilton Masakadza’s brutal 79.
He should have also made a 50 but got too greedy against Shakib Al Hasan, falling for 46.
The potential inclusion of Arafat Sunny could be one possible change for Bangladesh if they look to try out more combinations.
As far as pitch conditions are concerned, there was considerable dew in the second innings of the first T20, and that could make it harder for the spinners in the second half once again.
The pitches on the main square are similar in look, and batsmen should continue to enjoy conditions in the second game.
Probable line ups
Bangladesh : 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Mahmudullah, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Sabbir Rahman, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Shuvagata Hom, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Al-Amin Hossain
Zimbabwe may rethink their bowling attack with either of Neville Madziva, Tendai Chisoro or Taurai Muzarabani getting a chance to play.
Zimbabwe : 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Sean Williams, 4 Peter Moor (wk), 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Malcolm Waller, 7 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 8 Brian Vitori, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Luke Jongwe, 11 Graeme Cremer .— Cricinfo/Sports Reporter
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