United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh's batting line is struggling against the Zimbabwe bowling attack in the first Test of the two-match series in Sylhet on Sunday.  Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first in Sylhet, where the surface is traditionally helpful for the pace bowlers.  Bangladesh bat first in Sylhet Test vs Zimbabwe Bangladesh lost their openers in just 32 runs. Both of them fell prey to Victor Nyauchi.  In the third wicket, Mominul Haque and Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto formed a 68-run partnership, but they failed to carry on.  They fell to Blessing Muzarabani. Mominul posted 56, and Najmul made 40.  Wellington Masakadza bagged three wickets, including the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim, who just posted 4 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz also failed to impress with the bat, dismissed for only 1.  Bangladesh lost seven wickets for 146 in 49 overs.  The second Test of the series will be played in Chattogram from April 28.         

Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will renew their Test rivalry as they meet in the first match of a two-Test series starting Sunday at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The second Test will follow in Chattogram from April 28. The two teams have faced each other 18 times in Tests, with Bangladesh winning eight — their highest number of Test victories against any single opponent. However, Sylhet holds mixed memories for the hosts, who have won only once in three Tests at this venue. Their last meeting here in 2018 saw Zimbabwe secure a commanding 151-run win. Both teams arrive with questions hanging over their consistency in the longest format. Zimbabwe have played just four Tests in the past two years, losing three. Bangladesh, in contrast, played 13 and won five, but their top-order batting has remained a concern. “We have to be more consistent at the top. I personally got out after scoring 30 or 40 on several occasions last year, which is not acceptable. We’re trying to improve,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said ahead of the match.  “We want to play with the intent to win and post the runs necessary to take 20 wickets. The body language has to reflect that,” he added, expressing the importance of a shift in mindset.  With pace-friendly conditions expected in Sylhet, both teams are likely to lean on their fast bowlers. “There’s grass on the wicket. It looks pace-friendly. We’ve trained here for a couple of days and are confident with our preparations,” Craig Ervine, the Zimbabwe skipper, said.  Ervine also said Zimbabwe are embracing a no-fear attitude and looking at the series as an opportunity for young players to gain vital experience in subcontinental conditions. “We haven’t played a lot in Bangladesh, but that’s part of the learning curve. The players are keen to soak up knowledge and adapt,” he added.  Bangladesh’s young pacer Nahid Rana, who can bowl consistently over 140 km/h, has caught attention ahead of the match. “We’ve told him to keep bowling at that pace,” the Bangladesh captain said.  Bangladesh team: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Jaker Ali, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana. Zimbabwe team: Craig Ervine (capt), Ben Curran, Nyasha Mayavo, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nick Welch, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Wessly Madhevere, Sean Williams, Trevor Gwandu, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Vincent Masekesa.

Left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem starred as Zimbabwe was routed for its lowest Twenty20 total of 57 and Pakistan romped to a series-clinching 10-wicket win on Tuesday. Muqeem, playing in only his seventh T20, surpassed fast bowler Umar Gul’s Pakistan record of five wickets for six runs with an even more impressive 5-3 in 16 balls. Zimbabwe was bowled out in just 12.4 overs and Pakistan openers Saim Ayub, 36 not out, and Omair Bin Yousuf, 22 not out, cruised to 61 without loss in only 5.3 overs. They have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with the final game scheduled for Thursday. Zimbabwe touched a new low after electing to bat, losing 10 wickets for 20 runs after openers Brian Bennett (21) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (16) provided a decent start of 37 runs in four overs. Fast bowler Abbas Afridi dismissed Marumani and uprooted the off stump of captain Sikandar Raza. When Bennett couldn’t cope with a sharp, short delivery from Haris Rauf and top-edged to deep square leg, Zimbabwe slipped to 40-3. Muqeem baffled the middle order with his googlies and leg breaks as he claimed the wickets of Ryan Burl and Tashinga Musekiwa in his first over and removed Wellington Maskadza and Richard Ngarava in his second over with his turning deliveries. In a first, Bangladesh book Youth World Cup Hockey place; beating Thailand 7-2 in last match He needed four more balls to finish off Zimbabwe when Clive Madanda top-edged to Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha in the slips. Zimbabwe’s previous lowest T20 total was 82 against Sri Lanka this year at Colombo. Pakistan won the preceding ODI series 2-1, but rested all of its frontline players, including white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan for the the T20 series.  

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and batsman Soumya Sarkar return to the T20I squad as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the team for the final two matches of the five-match series against Zimbabwe. Shakib, who missed the first three matches due to Dhaka League commitments, rejoins the squad alongside Mustafizur Rahman, who returned from the IPL on May 2. Soumya Sarkar also makes a comeback after recovering from a knee injury. To accommodate their return, the selectors have left out Parvez Hossain Emon and Afif Hossain for the remaining matches, while Shoriful Islam has been rested. Read more: Towhid's 50 propels Bangladesh to 165 in 3rd T20I against Zimbabwe Bangladesh has already secured the series with victories in the first three matches, but Zimbabwe will be looking to salvage some pride in the final two games, scheduled for May 10th and 12th in Dhaka. This series marks Bangladesh's final home fixtures before the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which will be held in the USA and West Indies next month. Bangladesh Squad for Final Zimbabwe T20Is: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Sakib, Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin. Read more: Zimbabwe Come Close, But Bangladesh Clinch the Series

Zimbabwe will be hoping for a comeback in the series when they take on Bangladesh for the 3rd T20I of the 5-match series on May 7 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. After winning the first two games, Bangladesh will look forward to sealing the deal by 3-0 and winning the series. On the other hand, Zimbabwe will aim to put up a good performance in the series. The match will start at 300 PM BST. Details of the Third T20I Match between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe  Table: Venue and schedule of the 2024 BAN vs ZIM 3rd T20I Match Date Time Venue 3rd T20I Tuesday, May 7, 2024 3:00 P.M BST Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram Preview of the Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe Third T20 in 2024 Bangladesh had a comfortable victory over Zimbabwe in both the games of the ongoing T20I series. However, they need to take lessons from some of the aspects of the game and try not to repeat those issues in the upcoming match. Their top order remains a genuine concern for the Tigers. The half-century of debutant Tanzid Hasan Tamim in the first T20I match against Zimbabwe was a breath of fresh air in this regard but he couldn’t continue it in the second T20I match. Litton Das has been struggling for quite some time now and Bangladesh would want to see some runs from his bat. Similarly, skipper Nazmul Hasan Shanto’s bat has not been flourishing the way it was expected from him.  Read more: T20I Series: Bangladesh take 2-0 lead with comfortable victory over Zimbabwe The bowling of Bangladesh was good. However, letting Zimbabwe score 122 and 138 after having them on 41/7 and 42/5 respectively are something they won’t want to see again. The bowlers need to be more clinical in finishing the innings. For Zimbabwe, very few things went right for them. Their top order failed miserably. Losing all the batters in clusters adds to the woes. The collapse of 41/7 from 36/1 in the first innings and 42/5 from 30/1 were something they would like to rectify in the third T20I against Bangladesh. They would surely want their senior players like Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, and Ryan Burl chipping in more in this game. All of them had miserable outings in the first game.  Their bowling had nothing much to do with what their batter gave them to defend. Still, they should have been more destructive with the bowling after the rain breaks. Although their execution was better in the second T20I match, Zimbabwe would demand their bowling unit to maintain this curve and be more disciplined in this game.  Read more: Women's T20 World Cup: Bangladesh's Schedule Unveiled BAN vs ZIM H2H T20I Records So Far Table: Head-to-head T20I Records between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe Total Matches Bangladesh Win Zimbabwe Win Tie/NR 22 15 7 0  

Bangladesh will face Zimbabwe for the 1st T20I match of the 5-match series starting from May 3 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Bangladesh, who saw a break in their winning run after losing against Sri Lanka, will look forward to regaining momentum and confidence in this series. On the other hand, Zimbabwe will take this series as an ideal preparation for the T20I World Cup 2024. The match will start at 6:00 PM BST. BAN vs ZIM 1st T20I 2024: Match Details Table: Schedule and venue of the first T20 Match between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe Match Date Time Venue 1st T20I Friday, May 3, 2024 6:00 P.M BST Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram, Bangladesh Read more: Shakib Gets Dhaka League Green Light, While Mustafizur Pulled from IPL for National Duty First T20I Match between Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe in 2024: Preview Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Sikandar Raza are responsible for leading Bangladesh and Zimbabwe respectively in this series. Bangladesh will depend on Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, and Nazmul Hossain Shanto in the top order.  The middle order is expected to be led by Tawhid Hridoy and then carried by Mahmudullah Riyad and Jaker Ali. Apart from that, the pace trio of Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib are expected to play a big role in this game. However, the real competition would be for no. 7 and 8 positions. Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin are all in an equal battle and have equal claims for this position. But it is unlikely for Bangladesh to go with 4 pacers. Hence, Mahedi and Rishad should grab the spots for the first games. Another option could be to go with all three of them and drop one of the frontline seamers. Operations Chairman of BCB Jalal Yunus has emphasised managing the workload for seamers in previous press interviews. After a long DPL season, this series would be a good opportunity to rotate the seamers. This can be beneficial for workload management as well as finding the best combination of seamers ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. Zimbabwe would highly depend on their star and most in-form player Sikandar Raza with both bowling and batting. They have put a good amount of weight on the performance of African Games Cricket 2023 in their squad selection. Clive Mandane, Brian Bennett, and Johnathan Campbell got call-ups in their squad after their performances in this tournament. Johnathan Campbell, son of former Zimbabwean captain Alistair Campbell, got his maiden call-up in this series.  Their batting will be reliant on Craig Ervine and Sean Williams anchoring, and Sikandar Raza-Ryan Burl’s explosiveness. Apart from that they’d expect the likes of Tadiwanashe Marumani and Brian Bennett to step up. Their bowling department will be primarily led by Richard Ngrava and Blessing Muzarabani. Wellington Masakadza will have his part to play as well. Apart from that, Sikandar Raza’s off-spin can be their trump card. Johnathan Campbell might have a key role to play here as well with his leg-spin.  Read more: Squad announced for first 3 T20Is against Zimbabwe Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe H2H T20I Records So Far Table: Head-to-head T20I records between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe  Total Matches Bangladesh Win Zimbabwe Win Tie/NR 20 13 7 0 Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe always provide an exciting battle for the fans and audiences. These two sides have met 20 times. Bangladesh came out victorious 13 times and Zimbabwe won 7 of them.  They have fought in seven bilateral series, of which Bangladesh won three and Zimbabwe won only 1. The rest were a tie.  However, Zimbabwe is the winner of the last series between these two sides in Zimbabwe 2022. On the other hand, Bangladesh won the last game between these two sides in the 2022 T20 World Cup.  Read more: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe T20 Series 2024: Fixtures, Head-To-Head Records Bangladesh Squad Against Zimbabwe Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmud Ullah, Litton Kumer Das, Tawhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Sharif Uddin, Jaker Ali Anik, Taskin Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Saifuddin, and Afif Hossain.  Zimbabwe Squad Against Bangladesh Sikandar Raza (Captain), Clive Madande, Faraz Akram, Wellington Masakadza, Ryan Burl, Johnathan Campbell, Joylord Gumbie, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Sean Williams, Blessing Muzarabani, Ainsley Ndlovu, and Richard Ngarava. Read more: Zimbabwe cricketers arrive in Dhaka for 5-match T20I series against hosts Key Players to Watch from Bangladesh Team Litton Kumer Das Litton Kumer Das has been a crucial factor in Bangladesh’s rise since T20I 2023. His quick starts in the powerplay set the momentum for a big score. Similarly, he can go big as well. In his last 10 innings, Litton scored 345 runs with an average of 38.33. Bangladesh would look for similar returns in this game as well. Shoriful Islam Shoriful Islam has developed himself as the key strike bowler of Bangladesh in recent times. He picked up 8 wickets in the last 6 games with a strike rate of 16.25.  His success in making the batters of the opposition team unstable in the opening overs makes him a key player for this team.  Rishad Hossain Rishad Hossain is one of the newest finds for Bangladesh. He sorts two sides where Bangladesh has been struggling for a long time. He can play as a pinch hitter in the lower-middle order. At the same time, his leg-spin is also a great help for the Bangladesh team.  Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Preliminary Squad in the Upcoming BAN vs ZIM T20I Series 2024 Key Players to Watch from the Zimbabwe Team Sikandar Raza Sikandar Raza is the biggest threat to the opposition. His all-round capability as well as playing big roles in almost all the wins of Zimbabwe. He scored 398 runs and picked up 13 wickets in the last 8 games.  This vastly experienced campaigner would be crucial for Zimbabwe. Ryan Burl Ryan Burl can take games away from the opponent with his big hits. He also shines against Bangladesh. He averages around 60 against Bangladesh. His explosive batting would be key in pitches like Chattogram Richard Ngrava Richard Ngrava is arguably the most in-form bowler for Zimbabwe currently. Picking up 16 wickets in the last 10 games with a strike rate of 13.75 makes him the most dangerous bowler for Zimbabwe in this game. Final Words  In the upcoming BAN vs ZIM T20I Series 2024, both teams are well-equipped to beat the opponent. Bangladesh might start the series as a favourite due to being the host country. But Zimbabwe will fight an equal battle under the captaincy of Sikandar Raza. Read more: What lies ahead for Bangladesh spinners under Mushtaq Ahmed's guidance

The 5-match T20I series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will kick off on 3rd May at Chattogram. This will be the last series before Bangladesh’s tour to the USA for a T20I series. Tigers lost their last T20I series against Sri Lanka this March after remaining unbeaten for four series at home. Therefore, they would look toward this series to gather the lost momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. Preparatory Bangladesh Squad for Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe T20I series 2024 Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanvir Islam, Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Mohammad Saifuddin, and Soumya Sarkar. Zimbabwe have already announced their squad and presumably will reach Bangladesh on 28th April. Bangladesh is expected to announce their final squad on the same day.  Read more: Shakib Gets Dhaka League Green Light, While Mustafizur Pulled from IPL for National Duty Analysis of Bangladesh squad against Zimbabwe Mustafizur Rahman is expected to join the squad after 1st May when his commitment with the IPL franchise, Chennai Super Kings ends as per the NOC given by BCB. Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan is expected to return with this series after the World Cup 2023.   The squad has kept plenty of options in all positions. It indicates that Bangladesh will focus on testing and experimenting with as many players as possible to make a strong team for the World T20.   The opening pair of Litton Das and Soumya Sarkar, which had been misfiring for some time, have to be at their absolute best to keep a place in the team. Or else, youngsters like Tanzid Tamim and Parvez Emon are ready to pounce on the opportunity to replace them.  Tanzid Tamim played a brilliant knock of 84 (81) in his last international innings against Sri Lanka this March. He is waiting for his international debut in this format and feels confident after a good BPL campaign.  Parvez Emon has played only a single T20I for Bangladesh. This time after a tremendous BPL campaign, where he is the highest scorer as of now with three centuries from 13 innings, he has been given a chance because of his fiery nature in the top of the innings.  Read more: What lies ahead for Bangladesh spinners under Mushtaq Ahmed's guidance Another important part to focus on the Bangladesh squad is the middle and lower-middle order which will see stiff competition for a place. In the last T20I series against Sri Lanka, the Bangladesh squad included Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, and Rishad Hossain playing brilliantly.  This time with the addition of Mohammad Saifuddin, who also is a great addition to the pace bowling department, and the likes of Tawhid Hridoy and Mahedi Hasan already being there provide Bangladesh great balance and flexibility in the middle and lower-middle order.  Bangladesh get a good core of all-rounders if we look at them individually. Off-spinning all-rounder Mahedi Hasan, leg-spinning all-rounder Rishad Hossain, and a seaming all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin already provide a great variety. Besides, the addition of Shakib Al Hasan will provide greater dynamics to the team. Also, Soumya Sarkar can be effective as an all-rounder as well. The bowling department didn’t see much chop and change with the regular faces of seamers and spinners in Taskin, Shoriful, Sakib, Hasan, and Tanvir. The addition of Mustafiz is also pretty regular in the squad.  However, with so many seaming options, it can be expected that Bangladesh is unlikely to go with a traditional spin-friendly wicket and will try their expertise in a more sporting or batting-friendly one. Read more: Bangladesh vs India Women T20 Series 2024: Fixtures, Squad, H2H Records, Key Players Key Players to watch in the Bangladesh Squad Litton Das Litton Das has been a key factor for Bangladesh doing well in the T20Is last year. He has scored 323 runs in the 9 innings with an average of 40.37 and a strike rate of 137.44. It’s not only the score, his performance proved fruitful for the team. In several matches, he brought Bangladesh quick-firing explosive starts and utilized the power play well.  However, he has been misfiring since the turn of the calendar and has not been able to find his ground. It is important for the Bangladesh team for him to turn up with the bat at the start of the innings. This Zimbabwe series seems to be a perfect opportunity for that and all eyes would be on him to observe if he’s successful in that or not. Jaker Ali Anik  Jaker Ali Anik has played only two innings with the Bangladesh team and has won the hearts of the fans with that. His debut innings of 68(34) has been one of the best at debut for Bangladesh. The fans have liked his big and pinch-hitting capabilities and see him as a ray of hope in the no. 6/7 position where Bangladesh have been struggling all these years. Thus, ahead of the World T20, the fans would want to see some blistering innings from him against Zimbabwe. Rishad Hossain Another player who has won the hearts of fans with his big-hitting capabilities is Rishad Hossain. He only faced 70 balls in T20I and ODI combined and hit 12 sixes. Furthermore, his leg-spin profile has also been something Bangladesh fans have wished for a long time. He has taken six wickets till now in T20Is. Everyone from fans to team management would expect him to excel in both roles. Mohammad Saifuddin Mohammad Saifuddin has been out for a long time due to injury and has now earned a call to the national team again after some good performances in the BPL and DPL 2024. He has always been known for his hard-hitting capabilities with the bat. With bowl, he was one of the most trusted in both the opening and the death overs. Therefore, his proper comeback will be a huge boost for the team both morally and tactically. Hence, everyone will be wishing for his comeback in this series. Read more: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe T20 Series 2024: Fixtures, Head-To-Head Records Final Words The series against Zimbabwe can be a great scope for Bangladesh to fix their limitations and do necessary experiments on the team. The BAN vs ZIM T20I series 2024 series will play a crucial role in selecting the squad for the T20 World Cup in June 2024. Therefore, the expectation remains for everyone to give their best in this series. 

The Tigers will take on Zimbabwe as a last assignment before visiting the USA. Zimbabwe will tour Bangladesh for a 5-match T20I series to bolster their preparation for World T20 as well. This is the first time these two teams will be facing each other since the thriller in World T20 2022 at Brisbane. Both teams are likely to come up with their best possible squads for this series. Here is all you need to know for the Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe Men's T20I Series 2024. Full Fixtures of BAN vs ZIM T20I Series in 2024  The series is scheduled to kick off on Friday, May 3 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. It will end with the 5th T20I of the series on Saturday, May 11 at Dhaka's Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Table: Full fixture of the T20I series between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe Match Date Venue 1st T20 Friday, May 3, 2024 Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram 2nd T20 Sunday, May 5, 2024 Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram 3rd T20 Tuesday, May 7, 2024 Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram 4th T20 Friday, May 10, 2024 Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka 5th T20 Saturday, May 11, 2024 Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka Read more: BCB appoints former Pakistan great Mushtaq Ahmed as spin-bowling coach BAN vs ZIM Head-to-Head T20I Records So Far Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe have faced each other 20 times in T20I. Bangladesh has won 13 games against Zimbabwe which is the most for them against a single opponent. Similarly, Zimbabwe has won 7 games against Bangladesh which is their highest (along with Ireland) against a single opponent. There have been 7 bilateral T20 series played between these two sides. 3 have been won by Bangladesh, 1 by Zimbabwe and the rest were a draw. However, Zimbabwe were the last bilateral series winners among them. Therefore, it is the perfect opportunity for both sides to brush up before the World T20. Let’s dive into some more detailed H2H records among these two familiar sides.  Table: Head-to-Head Records between Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe Records Bangladesh Zimbabwe Match Wins 13 7 Highest Total 200/3 205/3 Lowest Total 135/9 119/7 Largest Victories by Runs 48 Runs 31 Runs Largest Victories by Wickets 9 Wickets 3 Wickets Read more: Tamim's international career in limbo as BCB offers no clarity Table: Notable Individual Head-to-Head Records between Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe: Records Bangladesh Zimbabwe Most Matches Mahmudllah Riyad (16) Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams (16) Most Runs Litton Das (308) Hamilton MasaKadza (377) Highest Score Najmul Hossain Shanto(71) Hamilton Masakadza (93) Most 50 Litton Das (3) Wesley Madhevere (3) Most Sixes Soumya Sarkar (15) Malcolm Waller (18) Most Wickets  Mustafizur Rahman (24)  Graeme Cramer (11) Best Bowling Mosaddek Hossain (4-0-20-5) Neville Madziva (4-0-34-4) Most Catches Soumya Sarkar (8) Sikandar Raza (9) Most Dismissals  Mushfiqur Rahim (7) Regis Chakabva (5) Highest Partnership Shakib Al Hasan-Shamsur Rahman (118) Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza (101) Most Matches as a Captain Mashrafe Mortaza (6) Elton Chigumbura (4) Bottom Line Both of the teams are coming to the series after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh lost to them at their home while Zimbabwe lost to Sri Lanka. Therefore, both of them will go to the field having a similar situation. The last 1 year of Bangladesh at T20 cricket on home ground, where they beat England, Ireland, and Afghanistan, makes them a slight favorite for this series.  On the other hand, Zimbabwe lost their last 3 series in a row. Nevertheless, both teams can ulitilise the BAN vs ZIM T20I Series 2024 to prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup tournament. Read more: 'Mustafizur has nothing to learn from IPL,' says BCB Cricket Ops chair

Zimbabwe's rainy season brings a bonanza of wild mushrooms, which many rural families feast upon and sell to boost their incomes. But the bounty also comes with danger as each year there are reports of people dying after eating poisonous fungi. Discerning between safe and toxic mushrooms has evolved into an inter-generational transfer of indigenous knowledge from mothers to daughters. Rich in protein, antioxidants and fiber, wild mushrooms are a revered delicacy and income earner in Zimbabwe, where food and formal jobs are scarce for many. Beauty Waisoni, 46, who lives on the outskirts of the capital, Harare, typically wakes up at dawn, packs plastic buckets, a basket, plates and a knife before trekking to a forest 15 kilometers (9 miles) away. Also Read: Zimbabwe, Uganda launch first satellites Her 13-year-old daughter Beverly is in tow, as an apprentice. In the forest, the two join other pickers, mainly women working side by side with their children, combing through the morning dew for shoot-ups under trees and dried leaves. Police routinely warn people of the hazards of consuming wild mushrooms. In January, three girls in one family died after eating poisonous wild mushrooms. Such reports filter through each season. A few years ago 10 family members died after consuming poisonous mushrooms. To avoid such a deadly outcome, Waisoni teaches her daughter how to identify safe mushrooms. “She will kill people, and the business, if she gets it wrong,” said Waisoni, who says she started picking wild mushrooms as a young girl. Within hours, her baskets and buckets become filled up with small red and brown buttons covered in dirt. Women such as Waisoni are dominant players in Zimbabwe's mushroom trade, said Wonder Ngezimana, an associate professor of horticulture at the Marondera University of Agricultural Science and Technology. “Predominantly women have been gatherers and they normally go with their daughters. They transfer the indigenous knowledge from one generation to the other,” Ngezimana told The Associated Press. They distinguish edible mushrooms from poisonous ones by breaking and detecting “milk-like liquid oozing out,” and by scrutinizing the color beneath and the top of the mushrooms, he said. They also look for good collection points such as anthills, the areas near certain types of indigenous trees and decomposing baobab trees, he said. About one in four women who forage for wild mushrooms are often accompanied by their daughters, according to research carried out by Ngezimana and colleagues at the university in 2021. In “just few cases” — 1.4% — mothers were accompanied by a boy child. “Mothers were better knowledgeable of wild edible mushrooms compared to their counterparts — fathers,” noted the researchers. The researchers interviewed close to 100 people and observed mushroom collection in Binga, a district in western Zimbabwe where growing Zimbabwe's staple food, maize, is largely unviable due to droughts and poor land quality. Many families in the Binga are too poor to afford basic food and other items. So mushroom season is important for the families. On average, each family made just over $100 a month from selling wild mushrooms, in addition to relying on the fungi for their own household food consumption, according to the research. In large part due to harsh weather conditions, about a quarter of Zimbabwe's 15 million people are food insecure, meaning that they’re not sure where their next meal will come from, according to aid agencies. Zimbabwe has one of the world's highest rates of food inflation at 264%, according to the International Monetary Fund. To promote safe mushroom consumption and year-round income generation, the government is promoting small-scale commercial production of certain types such as oyster mushrooms. But it appears the wild ones remain the most popular. “They come in as a better delicacy. Even the aroma is totally different to that of the mushroom we do on a commercial aspect, so people love them and in the process communities make some money,” said Ngezimana. Waisoni, the Harare trader, says the wild mushrooms have helped her put children through school and also weather the harsh economic conditions that have battered Zimbabwe for the past two decades. Her pre-dawn trip to the forest marks just the beginning of a day-long process. From the bush, Waisoni heads to a busy highway. Using a knife and water, she cleans the mushrooms before joining the stiff competition of other mushroom sellers hoping to attract passing motorists. A speeding motorist hooted frantically to warn traders on the sides of the road to move away. Instead, the sellers charged forward, tripping over each other in hopes of scoring a sale. One motorist, Simbisai Rusenya, stopped and said he can’t pass the seasonal wild mushrooms. But, aware of the reported deaths from poisonous ones, he needed some convincing before buying. “Looks appetizing, but won’t it kill my family?” he asked. Waisoni randomly picked a button from her basket and calmly chewed it to reassure him. “See?" she said, "It’s safe!”

Zimbabwe and Uganda recently launched their first homegrown satellites – a "milestone" for the efforts in space activities for the countries. Zimbabwe's ZimSat-1 and Uganda's PearlAfricaSat-1 are part of the BIRDS-5 constellation, which is now on its way to the International Space Station, according to the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER). The satellites, launched into space Monday, are scheduled to be released from the Japanese Kibo module on November 21 this year, UN-SPIDER added. Read more: Bangabandhu satellite-1 to be used to restore telecommunication in flood-hit areasOnce in orbit, the two satellites will collect images to help Zimbabwe and Uganda with mineral exploration, monitoring of environmental hazards and droughts, human settlement and disease outbreak mapping, and other potential fields of applications. A project run by Japan's Graduate School of Engineering at the Kyushu Institute of Technology, BIRDS-5 is a constellation of CubeSats.