Former Sri Lanka cricket coach Marvan Atapattu has been appointed as the batting consultant of the Zimbabwe national cricket team, ahead of its tour to Bangladesh.

He will assist Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore, who was also the Sri Lanka coach in 1996 when the country won the World Cup.

Meanwhile, former South Africa pacer Makhaya Ntini has been appointed as assistant coach to the Zimbabwe team.

Former Sri Lanka captain Atapattu resigned as coach of his country last September and has been added to the Zimbabwe coaching staff for the four-match Twenty20 series with Bangladesh, which starts on Friday, with a view to taking a more permanent role. 

Zimbabwe head to Bangladesh on the back of losing both T20s against Afghanistan in Sharjah, having suffered a 3-2 ODI series defeat against the same opponents.