ZCZC
BSP-16
CRICKET-SODHI-BD
Tigers aggressive brand of cricket makes Sodhi cautious for last two T20Is
DHAKA, March 28, 2021 (BSS) – Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi might spin New Zealand
for a comfortable 66-run win against Bangladesh in the first T20 match but he
wanted his side to be cautious of the Tigers in the remaining two matches of
the series.
Bangladesh’s aggressive brand of cricket basically made Shodi cautious as
be believed that the two venues of last two matches-Napier and Eden Park-
could suit the visitors batting style.
“I have never played against these Bangladeshi players. They played some
really aggressive and expansive shots. Grounds like Napier and Eden Park are
going to be challenging to bowl to these guys. We have to be really patient
and keep working hard,” Sodhi said after he anchored the side’s victory with
4-28.
“It is awesome to get a win. I think there were a few, quite young guys
from Bangladesh who we haven’t seen before. They played some expansive shots
early. They got off to a really good start, put us under a bit of pressure.
The couple of wickets stunted their run-rate, so it was awesome. Towards the
back end, it was hard for them to keep that run-rate up while they kept
losing wickets. It is obviously quite pleasing for us,” he added.
After New Zealand racked up a gigantic 210-3, thanks to Devon Conway’s 53
ball-90 not out and Will Young’s 30 ball-53, Sodhi wrecked havoc on
Bangladesh batting line up with 4-28, which restricted the opponents to 144-
8.
Sodhi curbed the Bangladesh’s aggression with a double strike in sixth
over, claiming the wicket of Soumya Sarkar (5) and Mohammad Mithun (4) and
then he removed skipper Mahmudullah Riyad for 11 to take the game away from
the Tigers.
“I have had a couple of hat-trick balls recently and they have been really
bad deliveries. So I kept thinking about those two, which wasn’t ideal. Tim
Southee was at slip, and I asked him whether I should bowl a googly or a
legspinner. He said, I don’t know you pick. I did that. Unfortunately I
didn’t get the wicket, but you can’t get wickets every ball, can you,” he
said.
“I think it is the nature of the grounds these days – wickets are pretty
good and quite small boundaries. We have got very destructive players that
keep coming in and doing well straightaway, like Will Young today. He hasn’t
played T20 internationals but came out with the freedom of domestic cricket.
He played really well, alongside Glenn Philips. It was set up really well by
Devon Conway, who just continues to score runs.”
BSS/SMP/RY/1632 hrs