B’desh-Zimbabwe first Test begins today

Bangladesh's Test Captain Mushfiqur Rahim said Friday that he would continue his effort to perform the best at all levels of cricket despite losing the ODI captaincy, reports BSS.

"If our team is successful in the ODI matches, even though I am not captain, I will be the first one to be happy," he told newsmen Friday at the Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Bangladesh will play the first Test of three-match Test series against Zimbabwe  that begins today (Saturday)  at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city. The Test series followed by five One Day International (ODI) series matches.

In reply to question regarding losing his captaincy in the ODIs, Mushfiq said: "I am not seeing the difference, maybe because no matches have been played yet."

"Maybe the difference can be spotted after an ODI match. I have no objection in this regard. I will try to perform my best at all levels of the game."

Earlier on November 30, the Bangladesh Cricket Board made Mashrafe Bin Mortaza the ODI captain replacing Rahim who led the Tigers in all formats of cricket for three years.

State-owned Bangladesh Television will telecast the match live. The match kicks off at 10:00 am.

Cricinfo adds: there are no nicknames to Bangladesh-Zimbabwe contests, nor is the Test trophy named after famous cricketers from either side. It is international cricket's most rustic competition, an exercise to avoid the wooden spoon. The series winner will take ninth place in the rankings, and ninth place is a long way away from tenth.

In a luminous parallel contest, Australia are gunning for top spot and Pakistan looking to extend their record of never losing a series in the UAE since it became their official home away from home.

No such honours are at stake in Dhaka, Khulna and Chittagong over the next three weeks.

This battle is a lot about self-esteem with the winners seeking not plaudits but the satisfaction of avoiding disaster. Indeed, for Zimbabwe to lose to Bangladesh would be as much damaging as it would be for Bangladesh to lose to Zimbabwe at home.

For the Bangladesh players, defeat would leave them vulnerable to all sorts of questions. And there is talk of defeat first due to the build-up of poor form throughout the year.

Bangladesh (from): Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Rubel Hossain, Shuvagata Hom, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Shafiul Islam, Jubair Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Marshall Ayub, Al-Amin Hossain and Taijul Islam.

Zimbabwe (from): Brendan Taylor (capt), Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva, Brian Chari, Tendai Chatara, Elton Chigumbura, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingi Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Natsai M'shangwe, Richmond Mutumbami, John Nyumbu, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusi Sibanda, Malcolm Waller.