Preview : Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe, 2nd T20I
Jannatul PiealCorrespondent
Posted - 2015-11-14T19:14:40+06:00
Updated - 2015-11-14T19:14:40+06:00
Jannatul Naym Pieal
Bangladesh continued their love affair with Zimbabwe and Mirpur by winning the first T20I by a margin of 4 wickets. However the way they notched the victory was nowhere near comprehensive, as against their recent performances.
Anyone can hardly get satisfied with the fact that the Tigers lost as many as 6 wickets on their way to chasing a modest target of 132. And even at one point it was almost getting an anybody's game. Tigers can thank Mahmudullah Riyad and their leader Mashrafe Bin Mortaza that ultimately they led the team to survive narrowly in the previous match.
But as expected, Mashrafe, the super skipper of Team Bangladesh was not at all pleased with the cat and mouce run his team had to race in the first T20I. He clearly expressed his unhappiness at the post match presentation ceremony and further bashed the entire unit at the press conference.
So now the other Tigers will definitely try to convince their leader with both individual brilliances alongside team efforts in the second T20I. With already having an unassailable lead in the two-match series, Bangladesh's key focus must be on getting over from the mistakes they did in the last match, finding the much-needed team combination ahead of the World T20 next year, and of course, gift the home supporters a perfect farewell to the dream year of 2015.
Like the ODI series, it is unlikely that Mashrafe or the team management are likely to bring any drastic change in the team. And even when they won the last match, they might have every right to stick to their winning combination. But at the same time, now what is more important is to get a good team combination, rather than sticking to a winning combination, where the win itself was not satisfactory.
Prior to the series, Mashrafe said they will be looking to find a good team combination so that they can utilize it in the coming days, specially in the World T20. So, with having enough give-and-take with some of the players, he should now provide chances to some other players who are yet to receive any opportunity.
From my own point of view, I think Imrul Kayes should be fielded in tomorrow's game. I am not saying it because he had had a good ODI series. But the reason is it has been long since the left handed opener played his last T20I. And it's clear that he is not in the selectors' mind for the World T20. Still, testing his skills in this match is not a bad idea.
Kamrul Islam Rabbi should also be handed his debut tomorrow. All the pacers of the team did brilliant job in the previous match. But still someone should make way for Rabbi, for the sake of helping their skipper to find out a perfect combination.
Al-Amin Hossain is a proven weapon in Bangladesh's limited-overs side. And he has already been successful in reestablishing his spot in the team. But still he can sit out in tomorrow's game, just like what Arafat Sunny did in the previous game to give Jubair Hossain a go.
Probable XI : Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes/Litton Das, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Hossain, Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Jubair Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Kamrul Islam Rabbi