Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe Prediction: With Raza, Zimbabwe's confidence is sky-high

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has brought many memorable battles to us. However, the action has been stalled due to rain which has put the Super 12s into chaos. Four games have fetched no result thanks to the rain, and this has surely made scenarios only more completed for multiple squads. Anyway, back to memorable moments, Zimbabwe sprung up a one-run win against Pakistan to rev up the stakes. Zimbabwe is going to take on a Bangladesh unit searching for a special spark.

Zimbabwe had one of the most if not the most amazing moments in their cricketing history as Zimbabwe downed the Pakistanis on the last ball through some amazing bowling. Batting first, they made 130 runs and despite a strong 42 runs first-wicket partnership in five overs, they couldn’t get the gears going for a big finish. Sean Williams top-scored with 31 runs and after a huge collapse where the team lost seven wickets for 53 runs, Brad Evans’ 19 runs in 15 balls was the difference in the end.

Bowling-wise, Zimbabwe was pinpoint from the first ball. They sent the threatening duo of Babar and Rizwan early in the dugout and had Pakistan reduced to 36 for 3 in 8 overs. The team faced a big problem when Shadab Khan and Shan Masood combined for 52 runs but then the golden arm of Sikandar Raza bowled them out as he got the wickets of Masood, Shadab, and Haider Ali in a space of 10 balls, which changed the game.

Mohammad Waseem and Mohammad Nawaz turned the game in Pakistan’s favor and the team needed nine runs in six balls. Brad Evans once again came to the rescue and bowled terrific line and length. Zimbabwe worked a great ploy as Pakistan needed three runs in one ball and brought Sikandar Raza to defend two runs and oh lord, did the amazing all-rounder deliver again, nailing the throw that found Shaheen Shah Afridi short and gave Zimbabwe an amazing win.

Banglades suffered a huge setback against a revved-up South Africa as they lost by a humungous margin of 104 runs. Such a massive loss means that Bangladesh is now in an unfavorable position in terms of the net run rate. In their game against South Africa, the pace batteries failed to make any impression and Rilee Russow’s century meant that Bangladesh needed an impenetrable total of 206.

And as it has happened often, the Bangladeshi batting folded in the huge chase and they didn’t stand a chance at all. They started in a big way, carting 26 runs in two overs with Soumya Sarkar nailing two sixes but once he fell, the team folded in a big way. Except for Litton’s Das 34 runs in 31 balls, the team was unable to even get remotely close to the target and lost 10 wickets for just 75 runs. This result is barely a surprise considering how poorly Bangladesh has fared in tall chases.

Bangladesh does have two points after beating the Netherlands in the first game but their prospects look dim after the last loss because their run rate has taken a huge hit. It will need some big-time performance to get through and mathematically, Bangladesh remain in the contention for top four but it is difficult to see them pull through from here. The upcoming window brings tough games and this game against Zimbabwe becomes a “do-or-die” game for sure.

• Zimbabwe: Batters: Sikandar Raza: 145 runs(Ave:29, SR: 149.48), Wesley Madhvere: 101 runs(Ave:25.25. SR: 136.48), Craig Ervine: 88 runs(Ave:22, SR: 96.70);
• Bowlers: Sikandar Raza: 8 Wickets(Econ: 6.06), Blessing Muzarbani: 7 Wickets(Eco:7.06);
• Bangladesh: Batters: Litton Das: 43 runs(Ave:21.5, SR: 102.38), Soumya Sarkar: 29 runs(Ave:14.5, SR: 145.00);
• Bowlers: Taskin Ahmed: 5 Wickets(Eco:10.14), Shakib Al Hasan: 3 Wickets(Eco: 9.28), Hasan Mahmud: 3 Wickets(Ave:6.37).

This is a high-stakes game, and although Zimbabwe comes in with momentum and Bangladesh’s confidence has to be shaken, in terms of match-ups, the field is not that far apart. What makes Zimbabwe a more likely candidate to win is that they have now gotten accustomed to the conditions after going through five games, all the way to the Qualifiers. Sikandar Raza has kept them in contention for top fours while Shakib Al Hasan, a player in a similar mold has been unable to do it for Bangladesh.