Hosts Zimbabwe will look forward to bounce back from the 121-run defeat in the first game and square the three-match ODI series in Bulawayo today. Zimbabwe have mostly relied on their two top order batsmen – skipper Branden Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza. In the first Test it was Taylor who led them to victory and in the second test Masakadza looked solid hitting a century in the second innings which later was followed by another 38 runs in the first ODI. Bur Masakadza does not think it’s a two player team. “I don’t really think so. There are guys in the middle-order are also scoring runs and they did it in West Indies. So I don’t think we rely on a few people. The whole thing is a team effort and I think as a team we just didn’t come right on Friday,” he said. “Yeah the mistake was we kept playing across the line to Zia and give him five wickets. This is a simple mistake, but this broke the back of the batting. So the guys talked and we thought about it. We had some time in the nets today so I think it will be fine tomorrow,” Masakadza added. Bulawayo has always been Bangladesh’s favorite venue in this part of the world. The visitors have won seven of the nine completed ODIs they have played there. Some are saying this ground is jinxed for the home side. However Masakadza refused to accept it to be so and said that they have a decent record at the venue. “Not really. I think they (Bangladesh) had few good games here where we haven’t played well. We don’t really think there is a jinx here. I think we just had a bad start in Bulawayo we couldn’t fight like the way we were supposed to. Remember we chased 300 against New Zealand here,” said Masakadza.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
