Dhaka: Bangladesh will take on visiting South Africa in the first match of the three-match NPOLY National Polymer ODI Cricket Series at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur, Dhaka on Friday.  

The match will begin at 3:00 PM Bangladesh time instead of 12 noon, as per BCB’s revised schedule.  

This match will be played under the ICC new ODI rules, in which there need not be compulsory fielders in the 15-yard circle. In addition to the removal of the batting Power-play and free-hits for all no-balls, five fielders are now allowed outside the 30-yard circle during the last 10 overs.

The visitors will miss the world’s best batsman AB de Villiers in the first match as he has been ban for one match due to slow over-rate during the World Cup. He subsequently requested to be rested for the remainder of the series to be with his wife, as has been granted.

De Villiers’s unavailability will undoubtedly be welcomed by Bangladesh and they can now focus on the rest of the South Africa players without worrying about the biggest threat.

Bangladesh also have to focus to remain in the top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings by the end of this series to book their qualification for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.  

Bangladesh are currently at number 7 with 93 points, but a sudden announcement of West Indies joining Pakistan and Zimbabwe in a tri-series next month means Bangladesh will have to win at least one match to remove confusion to qualify.  

In spite of the loss in the T20I series, Bangladesh remain on high confidence after their series wins against Pakistan and India in the last few months.

On the eve of the first battle Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza said, ‘I would still say we had two bad days, in cricket not every day is the same, the whole team is hoping that we get over those bad games.’  

‘The guys were extremely well in the T20I series so I think the rest of the team will come with some confidence as well as real experience of what had happened couple of days ago,’ said South Africa ODI captain Hashim Amla.  

Captains from both sides unveiled the ODI trophy at SBNCS media conference room on Thursday hoping for their best.  

Among 14 ODI battle, Bangladesh won only one match against South Africa in 2007 ICC World Cup, but without de Villiers, South Africa have a point to prove their worth.

Five players from each of the current squads played in the last match between Bangladesh and South Africa, in the 2011 World Cup.  

Among the two squads, Hashim Amla has the most runs in Bangladesh-South Africa ODI’s with 251 runs at an average of 62.75 Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza need to take two and four wickets respectively to reach 200 ODI wickets for Bangladesh. Currently the highest wicket-taker is Abdur Razzak with 207.

The 2nd ODI scheduled for 12 July at the same venue on 3:00pm while the 3rd and last match billed for 15 July, at 3:00pm, at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.

Bangladesh ODI squad (probable): Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Arafat Sunny, Jubair Hossain/Rubel Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman.  

South Africa ODI squad (probable): Hashim Amla (captain), Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Rilee Rossouw, David Miller, JP Duminy, Farhaan Behardien, Ryan McLaren/Wayne Parnell/Aaron Phangiso, Kyle Abbott, Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir.