Bangladesh win toss, choose to field first as rain shortens series opener against Zimbabwe

Bangladesh have chosen to field first against Zimbabwe after winning the toss in the T20 tri-nation series opener delayed and shortened by rains.

Anik Mishkatbdnews24.com
Published : 13 Sept 2019, 01:30 PM
Updated : 13 Sept 2019, 02:56 PM

A wet outfield after sporadic rains delayed the toss at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium to 7:45pm from 6:30pm on Friday.

The match has been shortened to an 18-overs-a-side game.

Before the final announcement, the umpires visited the field at 6:15pm and then at 7pm, but rains continued sporadically foiling the groundstaff’s efforts to dry the field with super soppers.

The centre wicket was covered with sheets while the players of the two teams were practising amid little rains.

With Afghanistan the other side of the series, Bangladesh are considering it as beginning of preparation for the T20 World Cup 2020, according to new Head Coach Russell Domingo.

Bangladesh are hosting T20 series involving three nations for the first time. They hosted the biggest tournament of the shortest format of cricket in 2014.

Zimbabwe are struggling to cope with a different sort of problems, with the International Cricket Council suspension on the country's cricket administration for government interference as the biggest and latest one.

The African side’s T20 record in Bangladesh is not so bad. They have won five of the 10 T20 matches here.

Teams:

Bangladesh: Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan(c), Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, Afif Hossain.

Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza(c), Brendan Taylor(w), Craig Ervine, Ryan Burl, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Tony Munyonga, Neville Madziva, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara.