The Bangladesh cricket team toured Zimbabwe in July 2021 to play one Test, three One Day International (ODI), and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.[1][2] The ODI series formed part of the inaugural 2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.[3][4] Bangladesh last toured Zimbabwe in April and May 2013.[5] Originally, two Test matches were scheduled to be played on the tour,[6] but one of the Tests was replaced with an additional T20I match.[7]
| Bangladeshi cricket team in Zimbabwe in 2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |  | ||
| Zimbabwe | Bangladesh | ||
| Dates | 7 – 25 July 2021 | ||
| Captains | Brendan Taylor (Test & ODIs) Sikandar Raza (T20Is) | Mominul Haque (Test) Tamim Iqbal (ODIs) Mahmudullah (T20Is) | |
| Test series | |||
| Result | Bangladesh won the 1-match series 1–0 | ||
| Most runs | Brendan Taylor (173) | Mahmudullah (150) | |
| Most wickets | Blessing Muzarabani (4) | Mehidy Hasan (9) | |
| One Day International series | |||
| Results | Bangladesh won the 3-match series 3–0 | ||
| Most runs | Regis Chakabva (164) | Litton Das (155) | |
| Most wickets | Luke Jongwe (6) | Shakib Al Hasan (8) | |
| Player of the series | Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) | ||
| Twenty20 International series | |||
| Results | Bangladesh won the 3-match series 2–1 | ||
| Most runs | Wesley Madhevere (150) | Soumya Sarkar (126) | |
| Most wickets | Luke Jongwe (5) | Shoriful Islam (6) | |
| Player of the series | Soumya Sarkar (Ban) | ||
Despite the suspension of sporting activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zimbabwe's Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) gave its permission for the tour to go ahead.[8] In June 2021, the tour itinerary was confirmed by Zimbabwe Cricket,[9] with all the matches being played in a bio-secure environment at the Harare Sports Club behind closed doors.[10]
The Bangladesh cricket team arrived in Zimbabwe on 30 June 2021,[11] following a twelve-team T20 tournament in Bangladesh.[12] During the one-off Test match, Bangladesh's Mahmudullah announced his retirement from Test cricket.[13] Bangladesh went on to win the Test match by 220 runs.[14] Bangladesh won the first ODI by 155 runs,[15] and the second match by three wickets, to win the series with a match to spare.[16] Bangladesh won the third ODI by five wickets to win the series 3–0.[17]
On 19 July 2021, both cricket boards agreed to a minor reschedule of the T20I fixtures.[18] The end date of the tour was brought forward by two days, due to "scheduling and logistical challenges".[19]
The first T20I match of the series was also the 100th T20I to be played by Bangladesh.[20] With their eight-wicket victory, they became the third team, after Australia and Pakistan, to win their 100th match in all three formats of international cricket.[21] Zimbabwe won the second T20I match by 23 runs to level the series with one match to play.[22] Bangladesh won the third T20I match by five wickets to take the series 2–1.[23]
Squads
| Test | ODIs | T20Is | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Zimbabwe[24] |  Bangladesh[25] | Zimbabwe[26] | Bangladesh[27] | Zimbabwe[28] | Bangladesh[29] |
Three days after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had named the squads for the tour, Mahmudullah was added to Bangladesh's Test squad.[30] Initially, Mahmudullah had not been included in the Test squad after not being able to bowl due to an injury.[31] After initially opting out of the T20I matches,[32] Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim made himself available for the fixtures.[33] However, he later pulled out of the ODI and T20I squads due to family reasons.[34] Tamim Iqbal was ruled out of Bangladesh's T20I squad due to a knee injury.[35]
Sean Williams was initially named as Zimbabwe's captain for the one-off Test.[36] However, Williams and Craig Ervine both had to go into self-isolation, after being in close-contact with an individual who was COVID-19 positive.[37] As a result, Brendan Taylor was named as Zimbabwe's captain for the match.[38] Taylor was also named as captain of Zimbabwe's ODI team, with Williams and Ervine continuing to isolate.[39] Brendan Taylor was rested for the T20I fixtures with Sikandar Raza named as Zimbabwe's captain for the matches.[40]
Warm-up matches
3–4 July 2021 Scorecard |
v | ||
22/0 (7.1 overs) Tamim Iqbal 18* (30) |
- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
v | ||
- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
- No further play was possible due to bad light.
Only Test
7–11 July 2021 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
- Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Dion Myers (Zim) both made their Test debuts.
- Mahmudullah (Ban) played in his 50th Test and this was his last test.[41]
- Shadman Islam (Ban) scored his first century in Tests.[42]
ODI series
1st ODI
v | ||
- Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field.
- Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers (Zim) both made their ODI debuts.
- Brendan Taylor (Zim) played in his 200th ODI.[43]
- Shakib Al Hasan became the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in ODIs, taking his 270th dismissal.[44]
- World Cup Super League points: Bangladesh 10, Zimbabwe 0.
2nd ODI
v | ||
- Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.
- Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) scored his 12,000th run in international cricket.[45]
- World Cup Super League points: Bangladesh 10, Zimbabwe 0.
3rd ODI
v | ||
- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field.
- Mahmudullah (Ban) played in his 200th ODI.[46]
- World Cup Super League points: Bangladesh 10, Zimbabwe 0.
T20I series
1st T20I
v | ||
Mohammad Naim 63* (51) |
- Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.
- Dion Myers (Zim) made his T20I debut.
- Soumya Sarkar (Ban) scored his 1,000th run in T20Is.[47]
2nd T20I
3rd T20I
v | ||
- Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.