Dhaka: Rocket Tri-Nation Series 2018 is set to start from Monday. Host Bangladesh will face Zimbabwe in the opening match of the tournament. Sri Lanka are the other team in the competition.

Each team will face each other two times in the group stage. Top two teams from the point table will qualify for the final. All the matches will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

After 8 years Bangladesh will play a Tri-Nation series at home. Bangladesh have enjoyed a stint of success against both Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka in the recent ODIs.

They beat Zimbabwe by 5-0 in the last bilateral ODI series between two teams in 2014. Tigers are unbeaten against Zimbabwe in the last 10 matches at home. Bangladesh visited Sri Lanka in the last year and drew the ODI series 1-1, reports BCB.

ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Technical Director Khaled Mahmud both spoke at the pre match press conference today. Both of them are hopeful for a positive result in the tournament.

All the matches will start from 12 Pm Bangladesh time.

The home nation, without a coach, are licking their wounds from a disastrous tour of South Africa. Sri Lanka have just had their worst year in international cricket. And Zimbabwe are on edge after a thrashing by the Proteas that blunted their run-up to a crucial World Cup qualifying tournament in March.

Bangladesh have become a strong one-day team in recent times, notably reaching the Champions Trophy semi-finals last year. But they were brutally exposed by the Proteas, as defeats by 10 wickets, 104 runs and 200 runs highlighted how much further they have to go. ‘This tri-nation tournament is really important for us. Everyone is upset after the South Africa tour. Now, if we can win this tournament, everything can be changed,’ said skipper Mashrafe Mortaza.