When Bangladesh are in disarray, better call Zimbabwe

Bangladesh and Zimbabwe—two sides that go way back in the world of cricket. They've clashed more times than we can count, especially in ODIs, and their rivalry has always had a strange kind of balance. In the earlier years, Zimbabwe were the big brothers—more disciplined, more polished. But with time, the tide turned. Bangladesh grew stronger, more confident, and began dominating the head-to-head count.

But that's just the surface.

The underlying pattern

Here's where things get interesting. Over the years, a pattern started to emerge—one that wasn't always openly talked about but definitely wasn't lost on Bangladeshi cricket fans: whenever Bangladesh went through a bad patch—especially in ICC tournaments—there'd be a  Zimbabwe series up next. Almost like a reset button. A band-aid. A confidence-rebuilding exercise.

And yeah, it felt strategic.

Beating Zimbabwe = crisis averted

Over the years there has been a pattern where, after a rough patch—like a poor ICC tournament or a string of losses— there would be a series scheduled against Zimbabwe. Although, these series are parts of ICC FTP, nonetheless, they work well as an escape route for team Bangladesh. 

It's almost like a "confidence-restoration" move. Zimbabwe, being a team Bangladesh historically has had success against (especially in the last decade or so), often served as the ideal opponent to get back into rhythm. You lose a bunch of games, morale is low, media pressure's on—and boom, a Zimbabwe series gets lined up, and suddenly things feel a little brighter after a few wins.

But of course, it hasn't always gone to script. There've been moments when Zimbabwe have pushed back hard—like that ODI series win in Bangladesh in 2013, or some of their spirited performances in Harare. So even as Bangladesh grew stronger, Zimbabwe kept reminding everyone they weren't just there to be a punch bag.

Why the band-aid didn't heal

It might have patched things up superficially, but it didn't really solve the deeper issues—like shaky team combinations, tactical rigidity, or inconsistent performances in high-pressure games, especially in ICC tournaments.

Beating Zimbabwe at home after a poor World Cup or T20 or a Champions Trophy campaign might give a temporary morale boost, but it doesn't prepare the team for facing top-tier sides under pressure. It's like putting makeup on a bruise—it looks better from the outside, but the pain is still there underneath.

And fans see through it too. That "Oh, we're playing Zimbabwe again?" sentiment kind of tells the story.

Bangladesh cricket has definitely grown—there's real talent, and the team's had big wins—but maybe the reliance on "safe" series hasn't helped push them out of their comfort zone as much as they needed to.

A soft mirror, not a hard reset

At this point, it's not just fans being cynical. It became a genuine pattern—lose to the big boys, beat Zimbabwe, reset perception. Rinse and repeat.

But here's the thing: it didn't address the root problems. Bangladesh's batting collapses, the T20 confusion, the inconsistent captaincy shuffle—all of it remained untouched. The Zimbabwe series wins were just a warm towel after a fever. Comfortable, but not curative.

If cricket is war, Zimbabwe was often Bangladesh's sparring partner in peace time. But sometimes, sparring too softly doesn't prepare you for the real fight.

Let's look at the timeline

Here are some specific examples that really paint the picture:

Post-2011 World Cup letdown

Bangladesh didn't make the knock-outs in a tournament they co-hosted. That hurt.

What followed? A tour of Zimbabwe in August 2011.

Expectation? Win, boost morale, move on.

Reality? Zimbabwe won the Test and the ODI series. Oops. That band-aid didn't stick.

2013: The Asia Cup hangover

Bangladesh had nearly won the Asia Cup in 2012, but fizzled out against West Indies at home.

So off they went to Zimbabwe in 2013.

Again, the result didn't go as planned— The Test series was drawn and Zimbabwe won the ODI series. The T20 series was also drawn.

The "reset" button didn't click.

2014: West Indies whitewash—Cue Zimbabwe for the 'Confidence Fix'

After getting humiliated by the West Indies in 2014—a 3–0 ODI whitewash and Test defeats—Bangladesh needed something, anything, to restore their morale. So, what better way to bounce back than with Zimbabwe?

Enter October-November 2014—Bangladesh swept Zimbabwe 5–0 in ODIs and won the 3-match Test series 3–0. Oh, the confidence boost! Because nothing says "we're back" like beating a team that's basically been a training ground for every other side. A nice, safe opponent who doesn't mind being the punching bag.

2016 T20 WC build-up – And the fallout

Before the 2016 T20 World Cup, Bangladesh lined up a four-match T20I series at home against Zimbabwe in January. It wasn't damage control this time—it was "preparation." The idea was clear: get some match practice, try out combinations, and boost a bit of confidence before heading into the global stage.

The series ended 2–2. Not terrible, not great either. But it did raise eyebrows—if this was a dress rehearsal, the show was already looking shaky.

Then came the actual World Cup, and yeah… the result spoke for itself. Bangladesh couldn't win a single game in the Super 10s. The "prep series" didn't prep much, apparently.

2019 World Cup woes

Despite Shakib's heroics, Bangladesh finished 8th in the World Cup.

What came next? A full home series vs Zimbabwe in March 2020.

Bangladesh whitewashed them in every format. A full PR recovery operation.

2022 – When the band-aid peeled off

Bangladesh had a terrible run in Tests and T20s in 2022.

In came Zimbabwe, once again, in August.

This time? Bangladesh lost both the ODI and T20I series.

Yeah. This time the "safe opponent" wasn't so safe. The pattern had officially backfired.

2025: After the Champions Trophy collapse—Guess who's back?

Fast forward to 2025. Bangladesh had a nightmare run in the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The batting? Fragile. The bowling? Inconsistent. The team? All over the place. The fans? Frustrated.

And guess who's coming to visit right after?

Yep—Zimbabwe. Again.

You don't even need to squint anymore to see the pattern. It's become part of Bangladesh's cricketing script—Chapter One: Disaster somewhere. Chapter Two: A Zimbabwe series.