Bangladesh Begin First Test Against Zimbabwe in Sylhet Amid Concerns Over Recent Form

The first Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe has kicked off at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. While the Tigers are ahead of their opponents in almost every department, concerns remain over their recent Test record — Bangladesh have lost their last four Tests.

This has cast a shadow of doubt as Bangladesh play another Test on home soil. However, Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine doesn’t seem too concerned about the statistics. Speaking ahead of the match, he said:

“I don’t think we’ve paid much attention to those numbers. We need to focus on our own processes and play to our strengths. There might be something in the pitch for the pacers tomorrow, and we’ll need to take advantage of that. Gaining early momentum will be key.”

Despite Bangladesh’s poor recent form, Zimbabwe’s situation is even more dire — they haven't won any of their last 10 Test matches. Still, Ervine is placing his faith in the young squad selected for this series:

“We haven’t been doing well in Tests lately, but we have a lot of red-ball cricket ahead of us. That’s quite exciting. With more matches, we have the chance to build consistency. This is a young squad, though a few have played in Bangladesh before. With time, they’ll grow and mature. It’s an exciting opportunity for them.”

On the historic rivalry between the two sides, Ervine added:

“There’s always been a bit of rivalry with Bangladesh. Playing here can be challenging for us, but we do believe we have a chance. This group we have now — we believe we can instill a bit of fear in the minds of Bangladesh.”