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CRICKET-BD-NZ-PREVIEW
High-flying Tigers eying to keep winning spree in World Cup
DHAKA, June 4, 2019 (BSS) – Bangladesh, oozing with confidence, are
looking to keep the winning spree as they take on an inform New Zealand side
in their second match of the ICC Cricket World Cup at The Oval on Wednesday.
The match starts at 6.30 PM (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Emboldened by their 21-run victory over mighty South Africa in the
opening game after posting their ODI highest 330-6, Bangladesh are expecting
to replicate the same performance but they are not complacent with what they
did, said skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
“There are long way to go if we want to achieve our goal in this World
Cup,” Mashrafe said.
New Zealand will pose even bigger challenge than the South Africa,
Mashrafe believed and urged his side to remain as serious as they were in the
first match.
The Kiwis, one of the favourites despite not winning any World Cup,
crushed Sri Lanka by 10 wickets, after bowling them out for 136 in their
first match and made an early statement.
Psychological edge will be with New Zealand given the fact that they had
whitewashed Bangladesh in a three-match series in last February-March in
their own den in a tour in which three Tests were also included. Bangladesh
had to abandon the tour following a terrorist attack in two New Zealand
mosques. By then Bangladesh also lost first two Test matches.
However both teams so far encountered each other 34 times, amongst which
New Zealand won 24, in contrast of Bangladesh’s 10. New Zealand is the only
team other than West Indies and Zimbabwe, against which Bangladesh winning
number reached double figure.
New Zealand also have the edge as far as the ICC Cricket World Cup is
concerned. In the cricket’s biggest extravaganza, both team met each other
four times and each time the Black Caps came up as winner. They however won
all of those matches by chasing Bangladesh’s target.
If the number and recent record is in New Zealand’s favour, Bangladesh
can take the inspiration from the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017 when they beat
the Kiwis by five wickets, recovering from shaky 33-4 to reach the semifinal.
Cardiff is not the venue this time but Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah
who struck century to help Bangladesh revive the innings have been in form of
the life. New Zealand however would be concerned by Shakib’s presence in
Bangladesh to some extent. Shakib was not the part of the Bangladesh team due
to finger injury when New Zealand whitewashed them at their own den last
time.
New Zealand senior batsman Ross Taylor said Shakib’s presence is huge
for Bangladesh and at the same time they have the players to make difference.
Even though Bangladesh’s win against South Africa has been widely
labelled an upset, Taylor isn’t buying it.
“A lot has been made of it being a big upset,” Taylor said. “But I
probably wouldn’t call it that. I think Bangladesh, in their own right, are
very good and must be one of the dark horses for this tournament.”
According to Taylor, the both teams are in same vain now and the team
who would play better on Wednesday will win the match.
However when New Zealand shows utmost respect towards Bangladesh, Shakib
Al Hasan, who proved him nemesis to the Kiwis, said his side would start the
match as underdog.
“We are not favourite against New Zealand as they are a very tough
opposition and they usually do well in the ICC events. We have to play our
best with them. We will have confidence but they also won by 10 wickets. If
we can play to our potential we hope to win,” Shakib said.
As they won their first match without sweating much, it is expected that
both New Zealand and Bangladesh would field unchanged side in Wednesday’s
clash.
BSS/SMP/IJ/1533 hrs