Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh 1st ODI Preview & Tips - Bangladesh backed for ODI win over Zimbabwe

Bangladesh were beaten by Australia by one-wicket in their last ODI as they saw a four-game winning run brought to an end. 

Their last ODI ended in a five-wicket loss to Sri Lanka last August, with this making up just one of only five ODI matches in 2025. In these games, Zimbabwe lost three times whilst only managing to secure a brace of wins over Ireland. 

Their clash with Bangladesh constitutes a chance to secure their first win since February 2025. Their poor run against their opponents in the ODI format is a major worry, with eight defeats coming in their last 10 meetings. Playing on their own conditions, Zimbabwe will have an advantage, but turning this into wickets taken and runs scored is another thing entirely. 

Incredibly, this woeful run comes despite boasting four wins in their last five ODI's. Indeed, a brace of wins over New Zealand saw Bangladesh beat their opponents 2-1 before they secured the same winning margin against Australia. When Bangladesh are on form, they are a very tough team to stop, and they displayed that against two heavyweight teams across 2026. 

Bangladesh are the favourites to win the 1st ODI, but this will not likely be a simple win for the touring side. Their loss to their opponents in the Test match format shows Zimbabwe have the players to challenge the tourists, meaning their run of eight wins in 10 ODI's may be under threat. 

Despite this, I back Bangladesh to get over the line. They will be raring to go after seeing the Test team slump to a big defeat, and I back them to continue their excellent ODI form with another win.