Bangla-desh stand the chance of taking a lead against an injury-hit Zimbabwe after a comprehensive win to equal the series when they play the third match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today. The day-night match will begin at 2:30pm and will be aired on Bangladesh Television and Neo Sports.

Zimbabwe, who drew the first blood in the five-match series before a blitzkrieg century from Sakib al Hasan saw them level on Bangladesh, suffered a serious blow when their former captain Tatenda Taibu was declared unfit for the crucial third match. Taibu had his muscle pulled during the second match when he was taking a doubles off Mohammad Ashraful and had to play the better part of his 38-run innings with the help of a runner. He later did not appear for a regular wicketkeeping job.

Zimbabwe team manager Anesu Walton Kafesu on Friday told New Age the former captain had been ruled out for the game, but they were yet to decide who should replace him in the line-up. Prosper Utseya, who had his ankle sprained when he was celebrating the fall of a Bangladeshi wicket in the first match, was also declared unfit for the game, said manager Anesu. Middle-order batsman Mark Vermuelen is also in the injury list, but is recovering slowly, he said. Utseya missed the second match and was replaced with Hamilton Masakadza as captain and Malcolm Waller as player. Manager Anesu said he could walk on Friday, but was unable to train.

Bangladesh, however, are not in a position to think about who is playing for Zimbabwe and who is not as they too have their own problems. Top-order batsmen failed to give the team any good foundation in the opening two matches and the new-ball bowlers also struggled to contain the run flow. ‘We do not expect Sakib [al Hasan] will score a century every day or Dollar [Mahmud] will come to our rescue. So it is important for us to get some runs from the top-order,’ opener Tamim Iqbal told reporters. Tamim has no complaint about wicket, which behaved differently in two matches. In the first match, a bouncy pitch was used. But the Bangladesh Cricket Board opted for a bare, batting-friendly pitch for the second match. ‘It does not matter for us. Zimbabwe will also play in the same pitch. So the important thing is to play well,’ said Tamim.

BCB officials said the pitch used in the second match would also be used today. It compelled the team management to think of a change in the bowling department, said an official. The change could be pace bowler Dollar, who failed to make any impact in the first two matches. He was, moreover, banned from bowling in the second match after delivering two beamers to Zimbabwe batsman Elton Chigumbura. If he is dropped, left-arm spinner Enamul Haque stands the chance of playing his first match of the series. In that case, in-form Abdur Razzak will open the bowling.

However, some members on the team management, including coach Jamie Siddons, are in favour of retaining the winning combination and giving Dollar a benefit of doubt for not performing on a flat pitch. ‘We already have five spinners, including Mohammad Ashraful, who bowled beautifully in the second match. So I am not sure whether another spinner will bring us any good,’ Siddons told New Age. ‘But again, the pitch will be two days old. So you never know it may also work. As the match will be held in the afternoon, we will make the decision in the morning,’ Siddons said.

-New Age