Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore is relishing an opportunity in the remaining two matches as Bangladesh keep on experimenting with their squad in the ongoing Twenty20 International series in Khulna.
The home side brought at least four changes to their squad for the last two matches, scheduled on January 20 and 22 as they seek to find their right combination ahead of Asia Cup and ICC World Twenty20.
The injury of Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman and the workload of Al–Amin Hossain forced Bangladesh selectors to bring at least three changes while Shuvagata Hom’s experimental journey was ended to bring the other change.
It means at least four cricketers – Mosaddek Hossain, Muktar Ali, Mohammad Shahid and Abu Hider – can make their debut at a time in Wednesday’s third match, something that did not happen for nearly a decade.
Last time four or more cricketers made a debut for Bangladesh in a Twenty20 international was in 2007 when Alok Kapali, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Ashraful, Nazimuddin, Syed Rasel and Tamim Iqbal achieved their caps against Kenya in Nairobi.
‘I have read they made some other changes, that’s their policy, that’s good but you know we are concerned with what we want to achieve,’ Whatmore told reporters in Khulna on Monday.
‘I think that’s gives us now a better chance.’
Winning the remaining two matches to finish the series on a high is, however, just one little priority for Zimbabwe, insisted Whatmore, who is rather keen on doing well in the World Twenty20.
‘That’s the result you are talking about but our agenda are slightly different,’ said Whatmore when his attention was drawn about two demoralising defeats in the first two matches of the series.
‘We are still having a look at our final makeup as is the Bangladesh team.
‘They have got some good players, no doubt. But in our case it’s a bonus at the moment, we are really looking for the right combination, the right player in order to win our group [in the World Twenty20]. That’s the priority.
‘As I said two weeks of March are very important for us. Leading up to that we have got our matches planned, our preparation planned.’
Zimbabwe will face Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Scotland in Group B of the ICC World Twenty20 qualifying round in India.
Whatmore said the decision to rest skipper Elton Chigumbura in the second Twenty20 international had nothing to do with his form.
Chigumbura was spectacularly bowled in the first match by Mustafizur Rahman, who saw the batsman coming down the wicket before bowled one round his pads to dismantle the stumps.
‘He needed a break. He is exhausted,’ Whatmore said of Chigumbura. ‘As captain, in both format of the game, we played a lot of cricket during 2015, which is very unusual.’
Zimbabwe played 42 matches in all formats last year compared to Bangladesh’s 28 and already appeared in seven matches in this year in little over two weeks.
-With New Age input
