1st T20I | Zimbabwe V/s Bangladesh| Harare

[Rajkumar Sharma]

Every format has equal importance, if a team cant play it, doesn't mean it has no importance, its their lack of skills that they cant fight in that format with others. T20 is modern form the financial factor of every cricket board and has got more audience then odis

BD got defeated by Afghans in Test that doesn't makes test cricket useles and because of grace of ICC and popularity of cricket, finance factor in subcontinent, Bangladesh able to take part in Test Championship else there is least or no differance between them Zim, Afghan or Ireland for not getting chance in the championship.

1) franchise T20 cricket has the $$$ over bilateral ODI. ODI world cup is still > T20 in both money and importance.

2) Never said Tests aren't important. And I never will.

3) Gap between WTC sides (Bangladesh) and ZIM/IRE/AFG is still substantial. Gap between BD and ZIM/IRE/AFG is as big as that between Top 4 teams and bottom 5 in WTC.

4) if you are really into tiers there should be 3 tiers in the top 12 Test teams. Top 4, next 5, bottom 3. NZ are champions and would probably only draw 1-1 or 0-0 against bottom ranked BD in Bangladesh.

But since 3 tiers is both ridiculous and impractical, 9-3 is the only feasible system and that's why the ICC chose it.

Bangladesh still to win a test series against top teams. Gap is neck to neck as both Zim & Afghans have won against BD in test matches and both struggled against top teams. All these three can challenge each other, Irish are bit lower but still they are competative. Money factor and popularity factor is giving edge to Bangladesh against these sides as a result they are included in WTC.

[Kriterion_BD]

Bangladesh still to win a test series against top teams. Gap is neck to neck as both Zim & Afghans have won against BD in test matches and both struggled against top teams. All these three can challenge each other, Irish are bit lower but still they are competative. Money factor and popularity factor is giving edge to Bangladesh against these sides as a result they are included in WTC.

ZIM/AFG/IRE are also still to win a test series against Bangladesh.

Since starting their WTC campaign, BD is unbeaten against non-WTC teams, home and away and by massive margins to boot.

[Rajkumar Sharma]

Bangladesh still to win a test series against top teams. Gap is neck to neck as both Zim & Afghans have won against BD in test matches and both struggled against top teams. All these three can challenge each other, Irish are bit lower but still they are competative. Money factor and popularity factor is giving edge to Bangladesh against these sides as a result they are included in WTC.

ZIM/AFG/IRE are also still to win a test series against Bangladesh.

Since starting their WTC campaign, BD is unbeaten against non-WTC teams, home and away and by massive margins to boot.

Do some research before speaking rubbish. Afghan won test series in Bangladesh in 2019. Zimbabwe won 4 test series against Bangladesh. Non WTC countries have neck to neck test records against Bangladesh except Irish team, no matter when WTC started or not. Winning a test series for Non WTC team against a WTC team matters alot.Bangladesh is in WTC due to grace of ICC.Bad luck for Afghans, Zim not getting it there despite having performances quite similar to Bangladesh in Test

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/afg ... -scorecard

[The Robot]

Got to agree with you at some point. Zimbabwe also have won some beats and pieces test games against Pakistan, Bangladesh and also have drawn few against lower ranked side which is quite equivalent to Bangladesh test performances.

May be the ICC ruled big three doesnt wants Zimbabwe playing the WTC or some financial matter happening there to push Bangladesh in and other three out of the WTC

[CholeZimbo]

I agree with Rajkumar here Kriterion, BD is not really miles apart from Zim and Afg in test hey. Honestly, with key players missing in that middle order for Zim in the tests BD were always going to be favorites and to be pushed that far by an inexperienced Zim side shows that there isn't much between the teams. BD would win at home and I am sure a full strength Zim test team would beat a full strength BD team in Zim conditions also.

A fair tier structure would be 8-4. With the team finishing 8th in the WTC being relegated to the non-WTC and the top team in the non-WTC getting promoted to the WTC.

I believe the huge cricket following in BD and some decent shorter format performances over the years gave BD the benefit of the doubt in being included in the WTC.

A competitive "Division 2" of Zim, BD, Afg, Ire with winner getting promoted to the "Division 1" would really be a good thing for test cricket, especially to keep it alive in lower ranked teams. ICC cannot keep on excluding teams in a sport that is played by very very few countries already professionally world wide.

[slcricfan1]

I agree with Rajkumar here Kriterion, BD is not really miles apart from Zim and Afg in test hey. Honestly, with key players missing in that middle order for Zim in the tests BD were always going to be favorites and to be pushed that far by an inexperienced Zim side shows that there isn't much between the teams. BD would win at home and I am sure a full strength Zim test team would beat a full strength BD team in Zim conditions also.

A fair tier structure would be 8-4. With the team finishing 8th in the WTC being relegated to the non-WTC and the top team in the non-WTC getting promoted to the WTC.

I believe the huge cricket following in BD and some decent shorter format performances over the years gave BD the benefit of the doubt in being included in the WTC.

A competitive "Division 2" of Zim, BD, Afg, Ire with winner getting promoted to the "Division 1" would really be a good thing for test cricket, especially to keep it alive in lower ranked teams. ICC cannot keep on excluding teams in a sport that is played but very very few countries already professionally world wide.

would make us second tier cricket nations

[CholeZimbo]

I agree with Rajkumar here Kriterion, BD is not really miles apart from Zim and Afg in test hey. Honestly, with key players missing in that middle order for Zim in the tests BD were always going to be favorites and to be pushed that far by an inexperienced Zim side shows that there isn't much between the teams. BD would win at home and I am sure a full strength Zim test team would beat a full strength BD team in Zim conditions also.

A fair tier structure would be 8-4. With the team finishing 8th in the WTC being relegated to the non-WTC and the top team in the non-WTC getting promoted to the WTC.

I believe the huge cricket following in BD and some decent shorter format performances over the years gave BD the benefit of the doubt in being included in the WTC.

A competitive "Division 2" of Zim, BD, Afg, Ire with winner getting promoted to the "Division 1" would really be a good thing for test cricket, especially to keep it alive in lower ranked teams. ICC cannot keep on excluding teams in a sport that is played but very very few countries already professionally world wide.

would make us second tier cricket nations

That is what we are. But if we win the second division, we earn the right to play against the big boys, try and challenge teams number 6 and 7 in the top division to stay up. It will be like supporting Brighton or Norwich in the EPL, you just know you are fighting to stay up, which will be cool for fans , esp the die hard ones like ourselves here

[slcricfan1]

I agree with Rajkumar here Kriterion, BD is not really miles apart from Zim and Afg in test hey. Honestly, with key players missing in that middle order for Zim in the tests BD were always going to be favorites and to be pushed that far by an inexperienced Zim side shows that there isn't much between the teams. BD would win at home and I am sure a full strength Zim test team would beat a full strength BD team in Zim conditions also.

A fair tier structure would be 8-4. With the team finishing 8th in the WTC being relegated to the non-WTC and the top team in the non-WTC getting promoted to the WTC.

I believe the huge cricket following in BD and some decent shorter format performances over the years gave BD the benefit of the doubt in being included in the WTC.

A competitive "Division 2" of Zim, BD, Afg, Ire with winner getting promoted to the "Division 1" would really be a good thing for test cricket, especially to keep it alive in lower ranked teams. ICC cannot keep on excluding teams in a sport that is played but very very few countries already professionally world wide.

would make us second tier cricket nations

That is what we are. But if we win the second division, we earn the right to play against the big boys, try and challenge teams number 6 and 7 in the top division to stay up. It will be like supporting Brighton or Norwich in the EPL, you just know you are fighting to stay up, which will be cool for fans , esp the die hard ones like ourselves here

the thing is this zimbabwean team can go head to head with the upper teams. Literally the only thing holding most lower teams back is lack of game time. I dont udnerstand why they just cant add Zimbabwe, Afg and Ireland to the WTC because they ceratinly can push teams at full strength

[ZIMDOGGY]

would make us second tier cricket nations

That is what we are. But if we win the second division, we earn the right to play against the big boys, try and challenge teams number 6 and 7 in the top division to stay up. It will be like supporting Brighton or Norwich in the EPL, you just know you are fighting to stay up, which will be cool for fans , esp the die hard ones like ourselves here

the thing is this zimbabwean team can go head to head with the upper teams. Literally the only thing holding most lower teams back is lack of game time. I dont udnerstand why they just cant add Zimbabwe, Afg and Ireland to the WTC because they ceratinly can push teams at full strength

I’d say it’s more the fact that Zimbabwe has about 400 players throughout all the age groups, schools and clubs combined whereas kids from the curry areas are born with a bat and ball in their hand.

[Kriterion_BD]

Do some research before speaking rubbish. Afghan won test series in Bangladesh in 2019. Zimbabwe won 4 test series against Bangladesh. Non WTC countries have neck to neck test records against Bangladesh except Irish team, no matter when WTC started or not. Winning a test series for Non WTC team against a WTC team matters alot.Bangladesh is in WTC due to grace of ICC.Bad luck for Afghans, Zim not getting it there despite having performances quite similar to Bangladesh in Test

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/afg ... -scorecard

A series implies MULTIPLE Test matches. AFG won a one off Test in 2019. Australia also won 1 out 1 Tests against India, bowling them out for 36 all out in the last SERIES, but guess who came back to win?

I'm talking about RECENT times. Andy Flower and Heath Streak no longer play for ZIM, just like Ashraful and Bashar no longer play for Bangladesh. Since 2011, Bangladesh have won 7-3 vs ZIM. You like stats, so thats 70% winning percentage which is very high for Test cricket.

How did Afghanistan have "performances quite similar to BD in Test" before they even played their first Test? WTC was finalized in 2017 and Afghanistan played their first Test in 2018. Sounds like you need to "do some research before speaking rubbish".