BSS, Dhaka
Emboldened by their improved performance, Bangladesh is looking forward to end the win-draught in New Zealand as theytake on the hosts in the third and final one-day International on Friday.
The match starts at 4 am, Bangladesh Standard Time and will be aired liveat the Bangladesh Television (BTV), Gazi Television and T-Sports channel.
New Zealand had already won the three-match series, following their eight-wicket and five-wicket victory in the first two matches, leaving Bangladeshstill win-less on New Zealand soil. With those two defeats, Bangladesh’slosing-streak on New Zealand soil stretched to 28 (14 ODIs, 9 Tests and 4T20Is).
Despite their dismal record, Bangladesh came here this time with renewedconfidence, largely due to their superb performance in the ODI cricket. Butstill they couldn’t figure out as to how they could win against the Kiwis in their den.
The Tigers were simply outclassed in the first match as they were shot outfor 131 runs and conceded an eight-wicket defeat. In the second match, they sensed a victory after racking up 271-6 and reducing New Zealand to 53-3 in11th over. However, their sloppy fielding, coupled with missing someimportant catches cost the game.
Bangladesh might loss the second game but that indeed boosted theirconfidence to great degree that they could beat New Zealand for the firsttime on their soil. On paper the third game might be a dead-rubber but as the series is the part of ICC ODI Super League, which will determineInternational team’s direct entry into the 2023 World Cup in India, there isnothing called dead-rubber.
In case of a victory, Bangladesh will not just avoid the whitewash but alsogain 10 valuable points and 10 points on foreign soil means they will take agiant leap towards the direct entry to the 2023 World Cup.But 10 points or avoiding whitewash is not in the mind of Bangladeshplayers, rather they are desperate to win a match in New Zealand.
As Bangladesh ODI captainTamim Iqbal said, they should stop talking about the improvements and concentrated only to win the game.
“We are not here to make improvements, we are here to win the match,” Tamim said after the second game, that was testament of his desperateness ofwinning match.
Tamim was the highest scorer for Bangladesh with 78 in the second game.Alongside him, Mohammad Mithun also stood up with a belligerent 57 ball-73 not out.
“As a team, we definitely want to win at least one match here. If we winjust one game, it will be a good success for us. There is still an ODI to goand we will give our best. I think we still could win a game,” Mithun said,echoing Tamim’s voice.
Even though Bangladesh so far has not won any game on New Zealand soil,stat suggested they have been successful against this opponent, at least inODI cricket. Apart from West Indies and Zimbabwe, New Zealand is the otherteam against whom Bangladesh’s win record reached double-digit figure.
Out of37 games, that they played against New Zealand, Bangladesh won 10 matches andlost so far 27.
But their all of those 10 victories came against New Zealand in neutralvenues or in Bangladesh in 22 meetings, which meant, outside of New Zealand,Bangladeshremains a tough opposition for the Kiwis always.