Ngarava explains the decision to throw
“We will bowl first. We know these conditions well, with little grass on the wicket, we want to bowl first,” Zimbabwe captain Richard Ngarava said.
About leading the team, he added: “There are no nerves. You don’t become a leader in one or two days, it takes a long time. We had a preparatory camp that lasted almost two months.”
Shanto wanted to bowl too
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted that he too would choose to bowl first.
“We would have bowled first, but it doesn’t matter if we bat properly for the first two hours. There is a bit of moisture in the wicket and the new ball will be challenging with the extra bounce,” he said.
Shanto confirmed that Bangladesh are fielding one spinner, Taijul Islam, along with three seamers.
Pitch report | Early aid for pacers
The Harare pitch is expected to favor the fast bowlers early on.
“It’s a nice grass with good coverage. The seamers will have a big say in the first hour if they keep hitting the right areas,” commentator Athar Ali Khan said in his pitch report.
He also advised the batsmen to remain patient, saying it was a five-day game and there was plenty of time to build the 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 had a few months to simplify my game and focus on the basics. I had a good preparation with net sessions and time in the middle. I also worked on my hitting skills and technique,” he said.
Announced playing XI
Zimbabwe: Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brendan Taylor, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava (cap), 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.
