Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh – 1st One-Day International Match Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh taking place? Friday, July 16th, 2021 – 08:30 (UK)
Where is Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh taking place? Harare Sports Club, Harare
What is the expected weather for Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh? 17-18c cloudy with a gentle breeze
What channel is Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh on? The match will be televised live on FreeSports in the UK
Where can I stream Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh? FreeSports subscribers will be able to stream the match live via the FreeSports Player both online and via smart phones.
LAST MEETING
Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 123 runs.
THE TEAM NEWS
ZIMBABWE
- After being comprehensively beaten in the one-off test match between the two sides, Zimbabwe will be looking to bounce back against Bangladesh in the three-match ODI series.
- It has been many months since Zimbabwe played a competitive fixture in the 50 over form of the game and this could have a detrimental effect on their side, who will need to adapt quickly with World Cup Super League points up for grabs.
- If Zimbabwe are to do well in this ODI series, then 35-year-old Brendan Taylor will likely have to play a key role with the bat and he comes into this first match in good form following scores of 81 and 92 vs Bangladesh in last week’s test match.
BANGLADESH
- Bangladesh head into this ODI series full of confidence following their emphatic 220-run win to win the single test fixture and their experienced ODI squad will be expecting to triumph once again, this time with the white ball.
- Veteran all-rounder Mahmudullah starred with the bat on his final test appearance for Bangladesh with an incredible 150 not out and as an important part of the ODI team, he’ll be looking to carry that momentum into this match.
- Wicketkeeper batter Mushfiqur Rahim will not take part in this match or the rest of the tour, after flying home for family reasons, however Bangladesh boasts plenty of strong limited overs batters within their team such as opener Tamim Iqbal and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.
THE PREDICTION
Bangladesh proved too strong for Zimbabwe in the red ball form of the game and the hosts will be hoping for better luck with the white ball. However, the biggest worry for Zimbabwe is their quality of their batting and how reliant they are on Brendan Taylor. Whilst home advantage is in their favour, not only do they lack the experience of the tourists, they also lack the number of individual match winners that Bangladesh can call upon. Such a deep batting line-up is expected to be what ultimately lays down the foundations for a Bangladesh win in this first ODI, with the Zimbabwe bowlers likely to struggle against the Tigers.
