Zimbabwe end practice match day 1 on 291-7

Zimbabwe have finished the first day of the two-day practice match against the BCB XI at BKSP on 291-7. Kevin Kasuza top-scored for them with 70 whereas Under-19 World Cup winner Shahadat Hossain picked up three wickets for the BCB XI. 

Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine decided to bat first after winning the toss. Their openers, Kasuza and Prince Masvaure provided them with a good start as they finished the first session on 95-0.

Zimbabwe's 105-run opening stand was broken by BCB XI skipper Al-Amin Jr. Masvaure edged a delivery from Al-Amin and U-19 World Cup-winning skipper Akbar Ali took the catch. 

Shahadat then broke into the scene and with his skipper and U-19 teammate Shoriful, managed to reduce Zimbabwe to 177-6. 

But an unbeaten fifty from Carl Mumba ensured that Zimbabwe finished the day losing only another wicket on 291-7. 

After the match, BCB XI seamer Shoriful said that this wicket was different from what they were playing on in South Africa and he had to put in a lot of extra effort.

"There was a lot of bounce there (in South Africa) whereas there is none here. Also, the weather is different," he said.

Shoriful further added, "No fast bowler can bowl to his joy here. It is very difficult to bowl here, I had to put in a lot of extra effort."

Shoriful also provided his insight on how seamers could be successful here as he said that the seamers needed to bowl fuller in such kind of pitches. 

"Bowling fast here won't help much. We have to bowl fuller and accurately. Bowling short length won't provide dividends," the 19-year old added. 

Shahadat, another member of the World Cup-winning U-19 squad, reciprocated his teammate's voice as he said that the pitch did not offer much help to the seamers.

"They (Zimbabwe) did not play either (seam or spin) convincingly but the spinners took the wicket. The wicket was okay but there were lesser benefits for the seamers," he said. 

Many in Bangladesh are considering the match against Zimbabwe as an easy win but Shahadat added that every opponent should be treated as the same. 

"However the opponent is, every team should be treated the same. No team should be belittled," he said. 

Shahadat did not bowl in the whole U-19 World Cup but managed to pick up three wickets here. Questioned about that, he answered, "We had a lot of options in the World Cup. We had four full-time bowlers as well as a couple of part-timers. If they did bad, I would have come on. They did not and I was not required."

The BCB XI saw six of Bangladesh's U-19 World Cup side feature as Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Parvez Hossain Emon featured alongside Akbar, Shahadat and Shoriful.