DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah has told his teammates to "bat sensibly" in the second and final test against Zimbabwe, starting Sunday.
Bangladesh surprisingly lost the first test by 151 runs after being dismissed for 143 and 169 — out for less than 200 runs for the eighth straight innings.
Stand-in skipper Mahmudullah said there was "no point playing tests like this" and there would have to be an improvement.
"I think whoever plays for his country gives his 100 percent. We will play with 120 percent in this test," said Mahmudullah. "After the Sylhet (first) match, we all sat together and discussed the positives in that match and the mistakes that cannot be repeated in the next match. These things have been pointed out. The batting is our real concern."
He urged his batsmen to adjust to a tricky wicket at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
"The Mirpur wicket is mostly unpredictable," Mahmudullah said. "We have decided not to do certain things. We can do well if we can bat sensibly and stick to our strength as batsmen."
Zimbabwe has not won a test series anywhere since its victory against Bangladesh at home in 2011.
"We are definitely looking to try winning the series," Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza said. "This is always a result wicket."
Zimbabwe's patient batting was key to its success against Bangladesh in the first test.
"I think it's just coping with whatever conditions we get," Masakadza said.
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