Bangladesh wary of Zimbabwe in ODI series

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza warned his players against complacency ahead of the start of a one day series against outsiders Zimbabwe today.

Zimbabwe go into today’s game in Dhaka as whipping boys of international cricket after losing every match during a recent tour of South Africa.

The visitors have not won a One Day International in Bangladesh since 2010.

“If we win everyone will say this is what should have happened. But if we lose they will take it differently,” said Mortaza, whose team are seventh in the world rankings against Zimbabwe’s 11th.

“It can create pressure at the back of the mind. It’s not as though we have never lost to Zimbabwe.”

Mortaza said the series — with two more games in Chittagong — would be doubly important as Bangladesh have only four more series to prepare for next year’s World Cup.