Lack of Warm-Up Matches Hurt Bangladesh in Zimbabwe, Says Ashraful

Bangladesh batting coach Mohammad Ashraful believes the absence of warm-up matches before the Zimbabwe tour was one of the main reasons behind the team’s disappointing performances. According to him, the batters struggled to adapt quickly to the unfamiliar conditions and pitches, and that had a significant impact on Bangladesh’s performances in both the Test and ODI formats.

Bangladesh suffered an innings defeat in the only Test of the tour before losing the three-match ODI series due to poor batting displays. However, the Tigers finished the tour on a positive note by winning the T20I series and returned home with that success. Speaking to reporters at the airport after the team’s arrival, Ashraful explained why he believes the team struggled during the tour.

He said, “Because of franchise tournaments, teams no longer get warm-up matches before international series. Earlier, we used to have a three-day or one-day practice match, which made it much easier to adapt to the conditions. Now, we have to play international matches immediately after arriving.”

Ashraful believes that arriving early alone is not enough, as match practice plays a crucial role in helping players adjust to unfamiliar conditions. Without a warm-up game, the players needed more time to settle into the environment, which ultimately affected their performances.

He further added, “Both the Test and ODI squads reached Zimbabwe well in advance. But we could not play any warm-up matches. If we had the opportunity to play such a match, I believe the results could have been in our favour.”

Despite the setbacks, the former Bangladesh captain also highlighted the positives from the latter part of the tour. He feels the experience gained in Zimbabwe will benefit the team, particularly ahead of the upcoming tour of Australia and in preparation for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Ashraful said, “We did not perform well in the Test match. However, by the third ODI we had adapted to the conditions. I believe we will be able to prepare even better with the 2027 World Cup in mind. This tour is also important in terms of our preparation for the Australia series.”

Bangladesh will travel to Australia next month for an important series. The Tigers will be hoping to learn from their experiences in Zimbabwe and head into the Australia tour with improved preparation, better planning, and greater confidence.