The ship explains the casting decision
“We will start bowling. We know this very well, with a little bit of grass on the wicket, we want to bowl first,” said Zimbabwean captain Richard Ngarava.
On leading the side, he added: “There are no nerves. You don’t become a leader for one or two days, it’s a long time. We had a training camp that lasted almost two months.”
Shanto also wanted to sing
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted that he would have opted to play first.
“We could have bowled first, but it doesn’t matter if we bat well in the first two hours. There is moisture in the wicket and the new ball will be difficult with the extra bounce,” he said.
Shanto confirmed that Bangladesh are fielding one spinner, Taijul Islam, along with three seamers.
Latest report | First aid for athletes
The game in Harare is expected to favor the early stage players.
“It is a good spread of grass with good coverage. The sailors will have a big say in the first hour if they continue to hit the right places,” said commentator Athar Ali Khan in his report.
He also advised the batsmen to be patient, saying that it is a five-day game and there is plenty of time to build innings.
Ben Curran is confident after a long break
Zimbabwean opener Ben Curran believes a break from Test cricket has helped him improve his career.
“I’ve had a few months to slow down my game and focus on what’s important. I was preparing well with the net sessions and the interval. I’ve also worked on my fighting skills and technique,” he said.
The playing XI has been announced
Zimbabwe: Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brendan Taylor, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava (capt), Blessing Muzarabani.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Amite Hasan (wk), Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain.
