A draw in the Tests and later a 2-1 defeat in the three-match ODI series was too much for Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim to handle. Known as an emotional member of the squad, the wicket-keeper batsman announced his resignation as captain at the press conference after the ODI series defeat in Bulawayo yesterday.
“This is probably my last tour as the captain. I will resign once we get back to Dhaka,” said Mushfiq surprising the journalists who thought the press conference was over. “The reason is for the way we lost the games and at the same time I also failed to perform. I think I also failed to lead my team. So the two T20 matches up next will be my last as captain,” he said. Bangladesh started the tour on a losing note. The visitors lost the first Test by a mammoth 335 runs but bounced back in the next game to square the series. With the momentum on their side they reached Bulawayo for the ODI and the two-match T20 series in a confident mood. Though started by winning the first ODI but consistent failure by the top order and the bowlers who looked helpless bowling in the second half of the game in the last two matches cost the side a series defeat to a weaker opponent on pen and paper. “There is certain amount of luck involved but at the same time I think we are a much better side in ODIs and could have performed better. We failed to prove this batting wise. There hasn’t been a fifty from the top five batsmen and this is very disappointing. We can’t even blame the wicket because there are occasions when we played very good cricket on more difficult tracks,” said Mushfiq. A dreadful tour of Zimbabwe in 2011 saw then captain Shakib Al Hasan and vice-captain Tamim Iqbal relieved of their leadership roles following the team's failure. The visitors lost the only Test and the ODI series 3-2 on the tour. The only difference this time around is the captain has chosen to leave, rather than being pushed.