Bangladesh sack captain Shakib

Bangladesh has axed Captain Shakib Al Hasan and his assistant Tamim Iqbal in the wake of their unsatisfactory tour of Zimbabwe.

The pair has paid the price for the team's 130-run beat in a one-off Test with the African nation, who also won the one-day series 3-2.

It is a far cry from 11 months ago, when Shakib was a essential figure as he led the side to a 4-0 one-day series victory over New Zealand.

He was hand the full-time captaincy in February but the cracks started to appear when he came into disagreement with officials after he questioned team selection before the Zimbabwe tour, and was given a written caution.

"Shakib and Tamim and have been detached from their posts as they failed to lead the team to success in Zimbabwe," BCB spokesman Jalal Yunus said.

Shakib's performance with bat and ball have inspired the side over the past two years, and it remains to be seen who will do well him as captain.

Bangladesh will host West Indies in a Twenty20 International, three one-dayers and two Tests starting in October.

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Opportunity for Zimbabwe to put together on positives

Bangladesh finally arrived in Zimbabwe, a couple of weeks afterward than they should have. After being outplayed in the only Test and the first two ODIs, they showed a bit of obstinacy with a forceful - but not match-winning - presentation in the third one-dayer. It came too late, as an overwhelmed Shakib Al Hasan said, but it was something worth taking heart from and bodes well for the outstanding two matches, which take place at a different venue.

For the first time on the tour, the cricket moves to Bulawayo. And while the series as a whole is dead - Zimbabwe is 3-0 up - the smaller contests have come to life. A tight chase, a well-paced century and an amazing spell of death bowling bring the third match alive, and cricket lovers will hope it continue to be a close contest in Bulawayo.

Even though Bangladesh didn't win, the fact that they put on an inspiring presentation in the first half of Zimbabwe's innings, formed partnerships and finally came within one shot of completing a tricky chase was promising. Bangladesh will not want go home winless. For Zimbabwe, a whitewash will carry them to within two points of Bangladesh in the ODI rankings, and they could use the next two matches as a knowledge curve.

In fact, they began doing so in the preceding match, when they were given a dissimilar test - being asked to bat first. The Zimbabwe bowlers were presented with a new challenge, that of defensive a total, and although it seem that the match was slip from their hands, an accurate presentation topped by Kyle Jarvis' yorkers at the end, showed they could cope. They will be keen to show they can do so constantly.

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