Players Mentally Preparing for Zimbabwe Series: Shanto

Sports Desk

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto believes his teammates will have no trouble switching formats after the ongoing Dhaka Premier League (DPL) as they prepare for the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe. With Bangladeshi cricketers currently engaged in the DPL, they are scheduled to travel to Sylhet on April 12 following the tournament’s first-phase conclusion.

On April 12, arch-rivals Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club will face off at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, featuring several national team players. They will fly to Sylhet in the evening, where the first Test is set to begin on April 20.

Shanto, who captains table-toppers Abahani, told reporters at the stadium on Friday: “The players are returning to Test cricket after a while. I think having two or three extra days for preparation would have been better for us.”

“There’s always high expectation around this match (Abahani vs. Mohammedan), and it’s certainly an important game. But the players selected for the national team are mentally preparing themselves for the Test series.”

Shanto expressed confidence that the team would be fully prepared for Zimbabwe: “If you look at both aspects—the DPL derby and the Test series—both are equally important. The players are handling both well and preparing accordingly. I’m hopeful the time we get in Sylhet will be enough for final preparations.”

Though Zimbabwe are lower-ranked, Shanto isn’t taking them lightly, emphasizing that international cricket always brings pressure: “Whether it’s Zimbabwe, Australia, or South Africa, every match should be treated as an international game. This is how our Test cricket will grow. There’s always a challenge in international cricket, and this series won’t be an exception.”

“It’s not about facing a big or small team—it’s about how well we play. If you look at last year, our Test performance improved—we won four matches. This year, we have six more Tests, and our focus is to build on that progress.”

“The same mentality and pressure we have against top teams will apply here (against Zimbabwe). No team is small—I’ve said this repeatedly, and our players don’t think otherwise either.”

The second Test will be held on April 28 at Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.