Bangladesh are taking their first step into the post-Chandika Hathurusingha era and will want to erase all memories of their winless tour of South Africa last September. Zimbabwe too will be driven by similar motivation after they lost their Boxing Day Test in Port Elizabeth inside two days. A cold Dhaka needs a bit of warming up, so the cricket has come at a good time, and there is plenty at stake as Mirpur hosts the international game's middle-weight battle.

As it often is, Bangladesh's five most experienced cricketers - Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah - have to reclaim the winning habit. Their ODI team has been on the road since the series against England in October 2016 and have won only four out of 14 completed matches in that time. That this is a home series will help, and they wouldn't mind facing an opponent who hasn't played an ODI since last July.

Bangladesh (probable): Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mithun,  Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain/Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan/Mohammad Saifuddin,  Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain

Zimbabwe (probable): Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor, Malcolm Waller, Sikandar Raza, Peter Moor (wk), Graeme Cremer (capt), Kyle Jarvis, Chris Mpofu, Tendai Chatara