New Zealand takes on Bangladesh on Tuesday, 23rd of March, for the 2nd ODI to be held at the Hagley Oval. After a comfortable victory on Saturday, New Zealand currently leads the tri-series 1-0. While the Tigers will search for their redemption on Tuesday; they have to be a lot more prepared this time ahead.
Match Preview
The Blackcaps handed Bangladesh their first loss in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League. Hagley Oval located in Christchurch, on the eastern coast of the South Islands. It has an average temperature between 10 to 17 degrees. There are little or no chances of precipitation on Tuesday. Oval would be a big trial for Bangladesh and they need to come out stronger as the pitch has not been kind to the Tigers before. The Kiwis thrashed Bangladesh 341 in the February of 2016; the highest runs scored in Hagley Oval by the Blackcaps against Bangladesh. The New Zealand captain, Tom Latham scored a whopping 137 off 121 balls. Bangladesh has to be extra cautious this time, lest they suffer another embarrassing defeat.
Bangladesh Team News
Bangladesh’s struggle to win against New Zealand has yet again followed them to score a low total in a high-scoring pitch. The New Zealand captain Tom Latham who won the toss and invited the Tigers to bat first made sure his bowlers became a dreadful nightmare for the opposition. Four overs into the match and the top order of Bangladesh fell like dominoes. Therefore, the woeful middle order could not rescue their team from what was going to be a crushing defeat.
The Tigers, who have the quality to turn the match around with their bowling; and come from behind to win the match, were unable to do so. The only two wickets that their bowling attack hauled were Martin Guptill and the debutant Conway.
The absence of Taijul Islam and their star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and was well noticed. The series already underway, hopefully, we would see the uncapped spinner, Nasum Ahmed, in action as the Tigers prepare to go into the next match with much more quality and confidence this time around.
Bangladesh Predicted Eleven: Tamim Iqbal (C), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (WK). Taskin Ahmed, Mahmudullah, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Saifuddin. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain.
New Zealand Team News
New Zealand will look forward to extending their 14-game undefeated run against Bangladesh in their home soil. Saturday had been quite an easy game for the Kiwis as their bowling attack was supposedly too hefty to handle for the opposition. Trent Boult managed a four-wicket haul as the Kiwis saw through the nonchalant fall of wickets of the Tigers. Boult had an impressive economy rate of 3.06 in all the 8.5 overs which he bowled, conceding only 27 runs in total.
It was only Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim in the entire Bangladesh batting line-up who could get past the 20-run-mark; while the rest were rendered numb by the Kiwi bowling attack.
Therefore, it proved to be a good game for Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, and James Neesham as they bagged a few wickets along with maiden overs.
It is expected that New Zealand will go into the next match with the same energy and intentions. Hopefully, there won’t be any changes in their bowling lineup. Although it could be tricky to see the uncapped right-hand medium-pacer Daryl Mitchell being given a chance in the next match, provided Bangladesh still has a chance to make a comeback in the game on Tuesday and make the series level on aggregate. The debutants, Devon Conway and Will Young who were not able to make quite a mark for themselves on Saturday would still have their hopes alive on Tuesday.
No major changes are anticipated from the New Zealand side in the coming match, they should go ahead with the same squad as on Saturday.
New Zealand Predicted Eleven: Will Young, Martin Guptill, Devon Conway. Tom Latham (C & WK), James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson. Daryl Mitchell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Henry Nicholls.
Conclusion
The second ODI on 23rd March Tuesday would be another delightful watch as it brings much anticipation and vigor from the Bangladesh side who still have a chance to make the series level. The Kiwis, on the other hand, would look forward to getting the better of their opposition’s never-say-die mentality; and keep their dauntless home-record unaltered.
Prediction – Back New Zealand to win the 2nd ODI against Bangladesh.
