Zimbabwe's top-order batter Ben Curran on Saturday, urged his team to maintain focus ahead of the second and final Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to commence on Sunday.
Zimbabwe, on Wednesday, registered their first victory in away Tests since 2018 by edging past Bangladesh by three wickets.
Coincidentally, their previous triumph had also come at the same venue and the opposition.
The African side also broke their record of the highest successful run chase in the process, surpassing their previous best of 162 which they achieved against Pakistan in November 1998.
Despite the historic victory in the series opener, Curran believes that the hosts would hard in the subsequent fixture and thus highlighted the need for his teammates to work hard in order to deliver alike performance.
"We are expecting Bangladesh to come really hard at us. We are not expecting this to be an easy game. We have to work hard for every moment. We can hopefully put in a similar performance to last game," Curran said.
The victory was also a personal milestone for Curran as it was his first Test victory since making the red-ball in early 2024.
The left-handed opener scored a modest 18 in the first innings but backed with an important 44-run knock which came in a crucial 95-run opening stand with Brian Bennett.
"It is a great feeling, having put in a lot of hard work leading into the series. Obviously, the series is not done. There's a big game to come in the next few days.'
"Winning Tests always gives guys confidence. Everyone is going to take different learning from the win in Sylhet. As long as we are prepared to move forward as individuals, we are in a good place.
"I am relatively new in international cricket so I am like a sponge trying to learn as much as I can from Sean and Craig. It will help my development. I will be silly if I didn't try to tap into their experience," he acknowledged.
Bangladesh A squad
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced on Saturday that pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman has been included in the 15-member Bangladesh A squad for the first two one-day matches against New Zealand A, as part of preparations for his return to international cricket.
Mustafizur recently resumed competitive cricket after a period of rest following a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection administered on March 12.
PRP treatment involves injecting a concentrated dose of a patient's own platelets into an injured area to accelerate healing, reduce inflammation, and alleviate pain.
The left-arm seamer made his comeback in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League (DPL), Bangladesh's premier List A competition, representing Mohammedan Sporting Club during the Super League phase. So far, Mustafizur has played three matches and taken five wickets in the tournament.
"He (Mustafizur) was out of cricket for a while. So we brought him into the A team to make him ready for the upcoming international fixture," BCB chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said.
The Bangladesh A squad features a mix of seasoned players and emerging talents. Alongside Mustafizur, experienced cricketers such as Anamul Haque Bijoy, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, and Mosaddek Hossain Saikat have been included.
"We are expecting the series to be highly competitive and we have also brought some seasoned campaigners like Mossadek and Sohan just to make sure that they are not out of our radar," he said.
Although BCB has not officially named the captain, Cricbuzz understands that Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan is likely to lead the side given his experience and seniority.
New Zealand A are scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on May 1 for a tour comprising three one-day matches and two four-day games, to be played in Sylhet and Dhaka.
The one-day series will commence on May 5 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium (SICS), with the second and third matches set for May 7 and May 10, respectively.
Following the limited-overs fixtures, the teams will transition to red-ball cricket, with the first four-day match scheduled from May 14-17 in Sylhet.
The series will conclude with the second four-day match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from May 21-24.
Bangladesh A Squad (First & Second One-Day Matches):
Parvez Hossain Emon, Md. Naim Sheikh, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mahidul Islam Bhuiyan, Saif Hasan, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Shamim Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Rejaur Rahman Raja.
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