Bangladesh look for uplift in Twenty20s

Zimbabwe hope to keep momentum going after ODI series win.


Afp May 10, 2013
“It was very disappointing to lose the one-day series after winning the second Test pretty convincingly,” says Mushfiqur Rahim. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

BULAWAYO: Bangladesh take on Zimbabwe in two Twenty20 internationals this weekend seeking to end a disappointing tour on a high, wondering if the matches represent an opportunity for Mushfiqur Rahim to change his mind about quitting the captaincy.

Mushfiqur said on Wednesday that he would be resigning at the end of the Zimbabwe tour, in an unexpected announcement that came in the wake of Bangladesh’s One-Day International (ODI) series defeat.

The announcement took Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials by surprise, and the matter will be discussed upon the team’s return to Dhaka.

In the meantime, two big wins at Queens Sports Club today and tomorrow could cause Mushfiqur to reconsider — particularly if the BCB urge him to continue.

“It was very disappointing to lose the one-day series after winning the second Test pretty convincingly,” said Mushfiqur. “But we didn’t play to our potential. However, the Twenty20 is a different format, so it’s an opportunity for us to play good cricket.”



Having claimed a rare ODI series victory, Zimbabwe will go into the Twenty20s with renewed belief that they can break a 16-match losing streak in cricket’s shortest format.

Zimbabwe have not won a Twenty20 international since beating the West Indies in February 2010, with their only successes in that time coming in unofficial matches against Bangladesh and an experimental South African side last year.

“It’s a format that we haven’t played a lot of, but having won the ODI series, there is definitely some sort of momentum we can take,” said captain Brendan Taylor.

“This surface will suit them and their strokeplay, so we’re going to have to be up for it and hit the ground running.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11th, 2013.

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