There is always an extra pressure for the Tigers when they take on Zimbabwe because anything other than win seems to be unacceptable for everybody against the Southern African opponents.

And the task will get even tougher when they go into the second one-dayer of the five-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today as the visitors seized the initial initiative with a five-wicket victory in the first day-night affair. And the visitors gave the clear indication that they are prepared enough to take the tough challenge to the home team this time. So, it would be interesting to see how Shakib Al Hasan's men cope in pressure but they can take inspiration from their last home series in January against the same opponents where they bounced back to win the series 2-1.

There was bad news in the Zimbabwe camp as captain Prosper Utseya, who suffered an injury during fielding in the first game, is unlikely to play the match, which means the visitors will miss his vital 10-overs of off-spin in the middle. The slogan was however common in the home tent that the Tigers must make sure they come up with much better performance than in the first game, especially the top order should learn from their mistakes to give the local spinners chance to dictate the terms to square the series.

"Zimbabwe had a couple of very good additions in the team in the last six months and they have found a couple of really good cricketers and a very good opening bowler. So, we need to step up. We have got to play a lot better than what we did yesterday or we are going to lose 5-0," warned Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons while talking with the press yesterday. "We came up against a very well organised and professional cricket team and they played a better game than us on the day. I had warned the boys and warned the press that whichever team plays better cricket on the day comes on top.

"It was a very even contest between two very evenly matched sides. We need to be at our best but we were nowhere close to our best and losing the two early wickets didn't help," said the Australian blaming that the top order played silly shots in the first game. Siddons also pointed out the pressure his charges face while taking on the team like Zimbabwe and it's negative impact on his young side. "I think there is enormous pressure on the players and I feel it a little bit from the press, the public and the board. The expectation is pretty high. May be our last two series wins didn't help, may be everyone was thinking we have become something like the Indian cricket team but we are not, we are Bangladesh and we are working with our team.

"There is obviously extra pressure. When you walk down the pitch everyone from press, board and people is expecting to win the match," he explained. Then the obvious question was whether it's very much a part for any professional player or team to cope with this kind of extra pressure. "Yes, I have said they are a younger cricket team and they are finding their way. People expecting them to win is a different thing, normally we are not expected to win anything but we are expected to beat Zimbabwe," he responded.

There was however different of opinions between coach and the players regarding the strength of the two teams as Siddons believe that it's an evenly-matched side's contest but vice-captain Mushfiqur Rahim claimed they are the better team. "We are much the better side and the team combination is better than our opponents. We however have to prove it on the field that we are better team. I am confident that we can show that in the next matches," said Rahim, who smashed his fourth half-century in the first game to help put up a decent total on the board. The stumper admitted that it is always an additional pressure to play in front of home crowd but said: "we have to overcome it." Rahim also said that the toss would not be a big factor despite the day-night affair. "We must score 220 runs if we bat first," he said.

-Daily Star