DAKAR — Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, thinks his team is slightly ahead of Zimbabwe as they prepare for their first Test match in more than 14 months.
The 15-member squad leaves Dhaka today to play a one-off Test and five one-dayers in what will be Zimbabwe’s return to the game’s premier format after six years.
While the hosts have played a number of games against second-string sides of South Africa and Australia, Bangladesh have only gone through a long fitness camp and some two-day games against the Academy side before the tour. Still, Shakib believes they go into the series as favourites.
“I think we are, but I won’t say that we are too far ahead of them since we’re playing in their weather and conditions and playing after a good gap. But still, I think we’re the favourites,” Shakib said during the pre-tour press conference in Mirpur yesterday.
“I am not thinking about it as a problem and as Stuart (Law) said, everyone should be excited and I’m sure they’re interested to do well in the Test.
“They (Zimbabwe) are getting good practice against South Africa “A” and Australia “A”. They will be prepared so we’ll have to play our best cricket.” —Cricinfo