Everything is rosy when you're winning.

And this is the case with the Bangladesh VJtCRicKET cricket team, which has been going through a purple patch, sealing their fifth one-day home series victory on the trot with an easy sail in the second one-day international against Zimbabwe on Monday.

The Tigers will go for a 3-0 sweep against a fast-declining Zimbabwe side today and, considering the strength of the two sides, a victory for the home team is all but guaranteed. But how well have the Tigers played so far in the series? If you go by the stats, two wins by big margins will convince you about the Tigers' extreme dominance. But sometimes stats are deceiving. The fact that Bangladesh have failed to cross the 300-run mark in their two innings, constitutes a failure against a bowling attack that lacked the necessary bite. The Tigers posted 241 in the second ODI, which could have been an easy target for any team other than a demoralised Zimbabwe.

But the point we would like to address after the first two games, especially the second one, was the inability of Bangladesh's top-order batsmen to rotate the strike, a crucial aspect for winning a one-day game.

Bangladesh scored 79 runs and lost three wickets in the first 18 overs of the second ODI. True, Zimbabwe bowled a disciplined line and length on a slow and turning track. But in those 18 overs Bangladesh's top four could stroke only 17 singles, including of course a few mishits and slog sweeps landing in the deep.

The problem of rotating strike at the top-order is nothing new for Bangladesh. We are well aware of the fact that Tamim Iqbal is a poor runner between the wickets and so is Imrul Kayes. The pair shared eight singles in the first seven overs before Tamim was dismissed.

Liton Das batted at number three and could stroke only one single during his five-over stay at the wicket. Two-down Mahmudullah garnered two singles during his almost seven-over stay at the wicket.

Zimbabwe bowled with a packed off-side field but the Bangladesh top four showed that they were not equipped enough to use those small gaps between point and extra cover or cover and mid-off to stroke those singles. Not only that, they were oblivious of the fact that a gentle push instead of a firm drive could have earned them a single.

Besides, their style of play also suggested that they are not good nudgers and pushers. Unfortunately for Bangladesh the two most nimble-footed players -Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan - bat down the order. One might argue that they bat at a time when the field is spread. But it's not an issue of where you are batting but the approach you bring along.

The inability to rotate strike builds pressure on a batsman and Bangladesh desperately need to solve that riddle if they are to go one step forward as a very competitive one-day unit.