Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz won the toss and chose to bowl first against Zimbabwe in the opening ODI in Harare, taking advantage of slightly overcast skies and moisture in the pitch.
The match is being played on Pitch No. 4, after the previous Test was held on a livelier surface. Zimbabwe captain Richard Ngarava said he would have also bowled first under similar conditions, highlighting how the pitch and weather influenced both teams’ thinking.
Bangladesh made a strong selection statement, bringing back key players Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman and Nahid Rana after rest in the Test series. Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das missed out due to injury, with Nurul Hasan stepping in behind the stumps.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, welcomed Sikandar Raza back into the ODI setup after his T20 Blast commitments in England. Young batter Innocent Kaia also returned to the ODI side after a long absence, adding depth to the top order.
Bangladesh enter the series in excellent ODI form, having recently won series against West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand and Australia, while Zimbabwe look to rebuild under new captaincy leadership.
The opening ODI sets the tone for a closely watched series as both sides look to gain early momentum in Harare.
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