Rawalpindi, Feb 23 (IANS) A confident New Zealand side will look to secure their place in the semifinals of the Champions Trophy when they take on Bangladesh in a crucial Group A encounter on Monday at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The Black Caps started their campaign in dominant fashion, securing a 60-run win over hosts Pakistan. With a strong net run rate of 1.200, another victory will all but confirm their place in the knockout stage.
For Bangladesh, the equation is simple—win or face elimination. The Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side suffered a six-wicket defeat against India in their opening game and are currently third in the group with a net run rate of -0.408. A loss here would make their chances of progressing extremely slim.
New Zealand enter the contest with a settled squad but face a tricky selection call with the possible return of Rachin Ravindra from a head injury. In his absence, Will Young partnered Devon Conway at the top and made a strong case for retention with a superb century against Pakistan.
Dropping Young now would be difficult, especially given his ability to handle spin effectively—something that could be crucial against Bangladesh’s attack. Conway, meanwhile, appears to be regaining form, making the opening combination a key discussion point for the Black Caps’ management.
Other than that, New Zealand are expected to field an unchanged XI, with their bowling unit—led by Matt Henry, and Mitchell Santner—looking in excellent rhythm.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, need a strong batting performance to keep their campaign alive. Their struggles in the opening match against India were evident, as they were reduced to 49/5 before a brilliant 154-run stand between Jaker Ali and Towhid Hridoy saved them from total collapse.
The top order, including Tanzid Hasan, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, will have to step up against a disciplined New Zealand attack. Their bowlers showed promise in the previous game but were left with too few runs to defend. Fielding, too, has been a concern, and Bangladesh cannot afford any lapses against a well-drilled Kiwi side.
Bangladesh have managed only 11 wins in 45 ODIs against New Zealand, while the Black Caps have dominated with 33 victories. One match ended without a result.
The Tigers have secured just two ODI series wins against New Zealand, both on home soil in 2010 and 2013.
However, Bangladesh emerged victorious in their most recent Champions Trophy encounter against New Zealand in the 2017 edition. In the tournament’s history, the head-to-head record between the two sides stands evenly at 1-1.
New Zealand have historically dominated this fixture, but Bangladesh can take confidence from their famous win in the 2017 Champions Trophy, where they knocked the Black Caps out of the tournament. A similar upset is the need of the hour if they want to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
When: February 24, Monday
Where: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
Time: The match is scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm IST while the toss will take place at 2 pm.
Broadcast details: The match will be broadcasted on Star Sports Network.
Live Streaming: The match will be live-streamed on JioHotstar.
Squads:
Bangladesh: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, MD Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.
–IANS
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