Bangladesh target 4-0 after sealing series

Match facts

Friday, November 28, 2014
Start time 12:30 local (06:30 GMT)

Big picture

With the ODI series secured with two matches to go, Bangladesh can have a tilt at beating Zimbabwe 5-0 or look to preserve their top players ahead of bigger assignments. The World Cup is obviously on every selection chairman's mind, but in a year when Bangladesh lost their first 12 completed ODIs, a five-match winning streak would be too good to pass up.

Still, Arafat Sunny has been rested to make room for Taijul Islam while Abul Hasan has replaced Shafiul Islam. Sunny had taken two successive four-wicket hauls, the third Bangladeshi to do so after the late Manzarul Islam and Abdur Razzak. But the selectors also want to see what Taijul has to offer after the left-arm spinner took the country's best Test bowling figures last month.

Abul is returning to the side after March last year, and has done well in the Dhaka Premier League, picking up a five-wicket haul against Abahani.

The rest of the line-up is unchanged. Mushfiqur Rahim and Anamul Haque are neck-and-neck for the top-scorer's spot in ODIs for Bangladesh this year. It will be another opportunity for Mashrafe Mortaza to give Bangladesh a good start with the ball, as he has been doing in the series so far.

Zimbabwe, however, have it a lot harder. They are 3-0 down again after having been swept 3-0 in the Test series. Their top order has only hit a few boundaries before giving it away. They replaced Sikandar Raza with Timycen Maruma but it didn't work.

Brendan Taylor has looked decent to start, but playing from the crease regularly has landed him in trouble. Elton Chigumbura has shown some consistency but only Tinashe Panyangara has bowled well and been the standout performer for the visitors.

He has taken seven wickets in the three matches so far, and he has shown the ability to keep things quiet in trying circumstances. But a one-man show isn't enough to pull Zimbabwe out of the rut, and they will need much more than Panyangara's tight spells to give them a first win on this tour.

Both teams will observe a minute's silence prior to the start of the game and will wear black armbands as a mark of respect for Australia batsman Phillip Hughes, who died on Thursday.

Form guide

Bangladesh WWWLL
Zimbabwe LLLLW

In the spotlight

Anamul Haque has vowed to take the next opportunity to get his fourth ODI hundred, after getting out for 95 in the third game. He has provided two solid starts with Tamim, and a third consecutive one doesn't look too improbable.

Zimbabwe must feel lucky to have Tinashe Panyangara in their midst, especially when the rest of the attack has been so feeble. He has provided a steady start with the new ball and has often finished well, jamming in those yorkers mixed with change of pace.

Team news

Taijul Islam and Abul Hasan are expected to play. Jubair Hossain and Imrul Kayes may have to wait a bit more for their turn.

Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Rubel Hossain, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Abul Hasan

Sikandar Raza may be brought back as Timycen Maruma did not contribute much in the previous game. It will also be interesting to see if they continue with Peter Moor, who made his debut in the fourth ODI, as a wicketkeeper.

Zimbabwe (probable) 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Timycen Maruma/Sikandar Raza, 4 Brendan Taylor, 5 Regis Chakabva, 6 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 7 Peter Moor (wk), 8 Solomon Mire, 9 Tinashe Panyangara, 10 Neville Madziva, 11 Tafadzwa Kamungozi

Pitch and conditions

Chigumbura has called the Mirpur pitch a fair one. It has offered more bounce than Chittagong but it has been slow early on. Runs will continue to pour if the team batting first gets off to a good start.

Stats and trivia

• Shakib Al Hasan needs 24 more to reach 4000 ODI runs while Tamim Iqbal is 55 short of the same milestone. It remains to be seen who becomes the first Bangladeshi to reach the landmark

• Elton Chigumbura has scored all three of his fifties as captain this year

Quotes

"We are doing well as a team, which was not happening at another time. We are winning by big margins and performing well, so it is possible to make it 5-0."
Bangladesh opener Anamul Haque