Bangladesh to host Zimbabwe for two-match Test series in April

Zimbabwe are set to tour Bangladesh in mid-april for a two-match Test series, with the fixtures scheduled outside Dhaka. Just as in last year's series against Sri Lanka, none of the Tests will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

The Zimbabwe squad will arrive in Bangladesh on 15 april, heading straight to Sylhet as there is no practice match scheduled as announced by The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday. The first Test will take place at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from 20 April, while the second Test will be held at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, starting 28 April. Zimbabwe will depart from Bangladesh on 3 May.

This series, not part of the ICC Test Championship, was initially set to take place last year. However, with the T20 World Cup preparations in mind, the Test series was postponed, and the two teams played a five-match T20 series instead.

Zimbabwe last played a Test in Bangladesh in february 2020, when Bangladesh secured a dominant innings-and-106-run victory. Overall, Zimbabwe have toured Bangladesh for Tests on five occasions—in 2001, 2005, 2014, 2018, and 2020—winning two out of ten Tests. Their first win came during their cricketing golden era in 2001, led by stars like Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Heath Streak, Stuart Carlisle, and Henry Olonga. Zimbabwe's other win in Bangladesh came in 2018, when they shocked the hosts in Sylhet with a 151-run triumph.

Bangladesh's recent experience of playing Tests outside Dhaka was not a happy one. Against Sri Lanka last year, the team lost both matches. The Bangladesh team, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, will aim for a stronger showing against Zimbabwe, especially after a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign last month where they lost all their matches.