Xplorich
Ngarava explains toss decision
“We are going to bowl first. We know these conditions well, with a bit of grass on the wicket, we want to bowl first,” said Zimbabwe captain Richard Ngarava.
On leading the side, he added: “There are no nerves. You don’t become a leader in one or two days, it’s long coming. We had a preparation camp that lasted almost two months.”
Shanto wanted to bowl too
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted he would also have chosen to bowl first.
“We would have bowled first, but it doesn’t matter if we bat properly for the first two hours. There is some moisture in the wicket and the new ball will be challenging with extra bounce,” he said.
Shanto confirmed Bangladesh are playing one spinner, Taijul Islam, along with three seamers.
Pitch report | Early help for pacers
The pitch at Harare is expected to favour the fast bowlers early on.
“It’s a nice spread of grass with good coverage. The seamers will have a big say in the first hour if they keep hitting the right areas,” said commentator Athar Ali Khan in his pitch report.
He also advised batters to stay patient, saying it’s a five-day game and there is plenty of time to build an innings.
Ben Curran confident after long break
Zimbabwe opener Ben Curran believes the break from Test cricket has helped him work on his game.
“I’ve had a few months to simplify my game and focus on the basics. I had good preparation with net sessions and time in the middle. I’ve also worked on my batting skills and technique,” he said.
Playing XIs 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.
