Raza said the dry-looking pitch and the difficulty of chasing targets in Abu Dhabi influenced his decision to bat first.
Bangladesh will be without regular captain Litton Das, who has been ruled out of the match due to injury. Towhid Hridoy is leading the side in his absence.
Bangladesh have included three pace bowlers and two spinners in their combination, with Hridoy hoping the team will deliver a better performance.
“Every match is important for us. Not just the World Cup, we have an Asia Cup at home as well. This is the main time to prepare ourselves well,” Hridoy said, highlighting the importance of the series ahead of upcoming major tournaments.
Bangladesh Playing XI: Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy (c), Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Rishad Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
Zimbabwe Playing XI: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Brendan Taylor, Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza (c), Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani
