Bangladesh team manager Rabeed Imam reminded all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz to check the honours board at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, as the latter was waiting to face the media in the Mixed Zone following their Champions Trophy game against New Zealand.
It was not only about the number of wickets Bracewell picked up. The poor shot selection of Bangladesh batters, coupled with great fielding display by New Zealand, cost the Tigers dearly in this crucial match.
On Monday morning, right in front of the main entrance of the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, a few local hawkers were selling flags of Bangladesh and New Zealand – the two participating teams in today’s crucial Group A match – and of course of hosts Pakistan.
It’s make or break for Bangladesh as they take on New Zealand in their second Group A match of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today.
“Bangladesh’s got a good bowling attack, that’s what I like about them. But big concern is about the batters,” Pakistan’s head curator Tony Hemming said this yesterday when asked about Bangladesh’s chances in today’s match against New Zealand.
Despite being in such a comfortable environment, the pressing question remains: can Bangladesh rise to the occasion against New Zealand?
Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam has been rewarded for his pivotal role in the Tigers’ maiden Test victory against New Zealand at home in December 2023 with a nomination for the ICC’s Player of the Month award for the month of December.
Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam's latest exploits with the ball in the three-match T20I series in New Zealand have seen him surge 32 places in the bowling rankings.
A new-look Bangladesh, under the leadership of Najmul Hossain Shanto, have managed to break barriers by clinching their first-ever ODI and T20I wins on New Zealand soil against the hosts.
New Zealand have a number of fresh faces for the upcoming home ODI series against Bangladesh. Their squad for the three-game series has four players – Adithya Ashok, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, and Josh Clarkson – with no experience at the ODI level. Of these, Ashok and Sears have represented the Black Caps in T20Is.
Bangladesh are set for a steep challenge in trying conditions in New Zealand as their white-ball tour against the 2023 World Cup semifinalists begins with the first of three ODIs at the University Oval in Dunedin on Sunday (Bangladesh time 4:00 am).
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra did not exactly hit the ground running on his international breakout but went on to become one of the standout performers in his debut World Cup, setting records in his own way. The 24-year-old had a quiet tour of Bangladesh, not getting a game in the Test series but he has been keeping a keen eye on things. As he spoke with Abdullah Al Mehdi of The Daily Star after the recently concluded second Test, he discussed the Kiwi side's atmosphere, a terrific maiden World Cup, the Mirpur wicket, and more.
Taijul Islam, who spun Bangladesh to their maiden home Test win over New Zealand in Sylhet, spoke with The Daily Star's Mazhar Uddin, where he opened up about his views on getting overshadowed by his more prominent teammates and gave his two cents about the use of home advantage in home Tests. The excerpts are given below:
Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam seemed to have had it with questions regarding fellow left-arm orthodox Shakib Al Hasan.
What is home advantage for Bangladesh? The question has been one of the more acute ones in Bangladesh's Test cricket in the last few years as the team has failed to yield such advantage at home – an outcome pointing to a lack of long-term vision.
A gulf in the cricketing culture separating Bangladesh and a top Test side like New Zealand was once again showcased by how the two captains remarked about the Mirpur pitch, which staged the just-concluded second and final Test between the two sides.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon claimed that the rank turners as well as the low and slow that the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur boasts do not favour the home side.
Bangladesh let slip a chance to win their maiden Test series against New Zealand after succumbing to a four-wicket defeat in the second Test in Mirpur.
Thanks to him, New Zealand added 134 runs in 24.3 overs on the day before losing their remaining five wickets, earning an eight-run lead.
