Dhaka: The Zimbabwe cricket squad, led by wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu arrived here Thursday for their first Test series since they were banned from playing Tests for six months by the ICC.

Zimbabwe didn?t have Test status for tours by Australia and England following two massive losses to Sri Lanka in May. They hosted Australia and England for limited overs matches only.

The Zimbabweans will play two Tests against the No. 10-ranked Bangladesh, who haven?t won a Test since gaining full membership of the ICC in 2000. The tour will open with a warm-up match between Zimbabwe and a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in Chittagong on Saturday. The first Test starts there on Thursday and the second Test in Dhaka from January 14. Five one-day Internationals will follow the Test series.

Bangladesh are coming off ODI and Test series losses to India, but have been buoyed by an upset win in the second of three one-dayers.

The Zimbabwean?s arrival was delayed by two days because of flight disruptions in India following last weekend?s tsunamis, which killed more than 77,000 people in south and south-east Asia.

(AP)