Zimbabwe host Bangladesh in the 1st ODI at Harare Sports Club on Monday, July 6 at 1:00 PM IST (9:30 AM local). Zimbabwe are FLYING after winning the one-off Test by an INNINGS AND 85 RUNS (ZIM 410, BAN 140 & 185).
Innocent Kaia scored a magnificent 140 and captain Richard Ngarava led from the front. This is a NEW Zimbabwe. They reached the T20 WC Super Eight for the FIRST time earlier this year (beat Australia AND Sri Lanka).
Bangladesh arrive with their senior players RETURNING (Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman). Bangladesh won 4 consecutive bilateral ODI series before this tour (including a historic 2-1 series win over Australia).
But the Test humiliation has put them under pressure. Sikandar Raza adds world-class experience to Zimbabwe’s lineup.
ZIM vs BAN Match Details
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh, 1st ODI |
| Series | Bangladesh tour of Zimbabwe 2026 (3-match ODI series). ZIM won the Test by innings+85 runs. Senior BAN players RETURN for ODIs. |
| Date | Monday, 6 July 2026 |
| Time | 1:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM local; toss 30 minutes earlier |
| Venue | Harare Sports Club, Harare, Zimbabwe. Good batting surface. Pace early, spin middle overs. |
| Format | 50 overs per side |
| Captains | Richard Ngarava (Zimbabwe), Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh) |
| Form | ZIM: Won Test by innings+85 runs (410 vs 140+185, Kaia 140). T20 WC Super Eight (beat AUS+SL). Ngarava new captain. Raza experience. HOME advantage.BAN: Lost Test by innings+85 runs. BUT won 4 consecutive ODI bilateral series (incl 2-1 vs AUS). Senior players RETURN (Litton, Miraz, Taskin, Mustafizur). Lost AUS T20Is 0-3. |
Dream11 Team For ZIM vs BAN, 1st ODI
Top Picks For ZIM vs BAN, 1st ODI
| Player | Team | Role | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sikandar Raza | ZIM | Captain / AR | Captain pick. ZIM’s world-class AR. Off-spin + batting. 2022 T20 WC Player of Tournament. At 2x. HOME advantage. |
| Litton Das | BAN | VC / WK | Vice-Captain pick. Senior WK-batter. RETURNS for ODIs. 4 consecutive ODI series wins. At 1.5x. WK bonus. |
| Mehidy Hasan Miraz | BAN | All-Rounder | BAN’s off-spin AR. RETURNS for ODIs. Bowling + lower-order batting. Key BAN wicket-taker in ODIs. Two-way points. |
| Mustafizur Rahman | BAN | Bowler | BAN’s leading pace bowler. Left-arm cutters. RETURNS for ODIs. Experienced death-overs specialist. Key wicket-taker. |
| Ryan Burl | ZIM | All-Rounder | ZIM AR. Leg-spin + middle-order batting. Scored runs and took wickets in recent series. KEY to ZIM’s all-round strength. Two-way points. |
Pitch Report
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Venue | Harare Sports Club, Harare, Zimbabwe. ZIM scored 410 in the Test HERE. Historic venue. |
| Pitch Type | Good BATTING surface with TRUE BOUNCE. Pace bowlers find assistance with the new ball. Spin plays a role through the middle overs. The same surface produced 410 for ZIM in the Test. Runs are available for batters who settle. |
| Avg 1st Innings Score | 240–260 in ODIs. Harare Sports Club is a balanced venue. 250+ is competitive. Below 220 is risky. ZIM scored 410 in the Test (different format but same surface). |
| Pace vs Spin | PACE effective early (Ngarava captain, Muzarabani for ZIM; Mustafizur, Taskin for BAN). SPIN useful middle overs (Raza, Burl, Cremer for ZIM; Miraz, Rishad for BAN). Both teams have strong spin options. |
| Toss Factor | Bat first preferred. Harare pitch plays best early. Setting a total is the safer approach. Conditions can slow down later as the day progresses. |
Weather Report
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 20–25°C (68–77°F). Pleasant Harare winter morning. |
| Sky | Clear and sunny. Typical Harare dry season (July = winter in Southern Hemisphere). |
| Rain Chance | 0%. ZERO rain expected. July is the driest month in Harare. Full match guaranteed. |
| Humidity | Low (20–30%). Dry conditions. Ball comes onto the bat nicely. No dew. |
| Overall | PERFECT cricket conditions. Clear, dry, pleasant temperatures. Harare’s altitude (1480m) helps the ball carry. Full 100-over match guaranteed. |
ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Toss Prediction
Harare pitch plays best in the morning. Setting a total is the safer approach. The toss winner will likely bat first.
If Richard Ngarava (Zimbabwe) wins, he bats first. Deploy Kaia (140 in Test) + Madhevere + Bennett at the top. Then Raza + Burl + Evans through the middle. Set 260+ on a pitch where ZIM scored 410 in the Test. Then Ngarava (left-arm swing) + Muzarabani (express pace) with the new ball against Litton + Shanto. Then Raza + Burl + Cremer spin through BAN’s middle order.
If Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh) wins, he bats first. Deploy Litton (RETURNS) + Tanzid Hasan at the top. Then Shanto + Mushfiqur Rahim + Hridoy build the innings. Set 250+ with Miraz and Sarkar at the death. Then Mustafizur (left-arm cutters) + Taskin Ahmed pace in the powerplay. Then Miraz + Rishad spin through ZIM’s middle order. BAN won 4 consecutive ODI series. They know how to win ODIs.
Injury and Team News
Zimbabwe:
Zimbabwe are in SUPERB form. Won the Test by an innings and 85 runs (ZIM 410, BAN 140 & 185). Kaia scored 140 (magnificent knock). Ngarava is the new captain and led brilliantly in the Test. Zimbabwe reached the T20 WC Super Eight for the first time (beat Australia AND Sri Lanka).
Raza adds world-class experience in ODIs. Muzarabani’s express pace is their biggest weapon. Burl and Madhevere provide all-round depth. This is a RESURGENT Zimbabwe team.
Bangladesh:
Senior players RETURN for the ODI series. Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman all rejoin the squad. Bangladesh were humiliated in the Test (innings defeat) but ODI cricket is a DIFFERENT format. They won 4 consecutive bilateral ODI series (including a historic 2-1 series win over Australia in Dhaka).
Shanto captains the ODI side. Mushfiqur Rahim adds batting experience. The return of senior players should STRENGTHEN a side that looked lost in the Test with a weakened squad.
