It cannot get worse for Zimbabwe. After having won the first game of the series against Bangladesh, they have gone from bad to worse, and if their performance in the last match is anything to go by, then they will need a huge turnaround to hope to take a consolation win from their fifth ODI.

A total of 44 does neither. It does not justify the lack of Zimbabwean batting potential, nor does it speak volumes of the Bangladeshi bowling. It was a track that needed the team bating first to score at least 200 and the game would have been theirs for the taking. On the other hand, the Zimbabwean batting could not adapt to the pitch conditions and fell away to the spin of Abdur Razzaq - allowing him 12 wickets in four games now.

The visitors will clearly have to improve for this game. In fact, it will be fair to say that not only will they need to improve, but also have the Bangladeshis play a notch below what they have in the previous three games for them to make it 3-2. Prosper Utseya absence keeps getting felt, but one is not too sure what he would have been able to do as a captain with the side having collapsed to a total of 44. Instead, they will need to seriously introspect and have answers coming for them to counter the likes of Razzaq. Probably, even have someone just block out the ten overs from the left-arm spinner and take on the others at the other end.

Bangladesh looks to have come out in vengeance after their first loss. They would have known that another loss in the series would have seriously dented the chances of some of the players in the side, and made Shakib al Hasan position as a captain untenable. For now though, he has redeemed himself - as the skipper - and the Bangladeshis would be on a high from having won another series against Zimbabwe. The fifth game, though, may be inconsequential, but one can be rest assured that the hosts will not take it lightly. Especially now, that they have the opposition down and by their throat.

The one worry for the hosts though, would be their batting, which has not really been tested so far. So, it could just get interesting to see what happens if the Bangladeshi side has to bat first in the final game. To me, it does not look like the Zimbabweans have the confidence to chase down totals given their poor performance so far, and so, 4-1 looks definitely on the cards.

Tag :- Abdur Razzaq   Bangladesh   Prosper Utseya   Shakib al Hasan   Zimbabwe