NEW DELHI: Bangladesh are gearing up to host Zimbabwe for an action-packed five-match T20I series in May, just ahead of the T20 World Cup co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies, scheduled to kick off on June 1.
The series will kick off on May 3 in Chattogram, featuring the first three T20I matches, followed by the remaining two matches to be held in Dhaka.
This decision underscores Bangladesh's strategic approach to fine-tune their squad and gauge their capabilities against strong opponents in preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
In a notable development, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has opted to reschedule the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe to 2025. This move marks the first Test series between the two teams since 2018.
Bangladesh hold a favorable record against Zimbabwe in the T20 format, boasting a 13-7 win-loss ratio. However, in their last bilateral T20I series in July 2022 in Harare, Zimbabwe emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over Bangladesh.
As Bangladesh gear up for their T20 World Cup campaign, set to commence on June 8 against Sri Lanka in Dallas, the series against Zimbabwe assumes paramount importance.
With Group D presenting a challenging lineup of opponents including Nepal, Netherlands, South Africa, and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh aims to assert its prowess and position itself as a strong contender for the coveted title.
On the other hand, despite missing out on qualification for the 2024 T20 World Cup, Zimbabwe is setting its sights on the future, particularly as co-hosts of the 2027 ODI World Cup, signaling a promising trajectory ahead.
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe fixtures: First T20I: May 3 Second T20I: May 5 Third T20I: May 7 (first three games in Chattogram) Fourth T20I: May 10 Fifth T20I: May 12 (last two games in Dhaka)
(With IANS inputs)
