The 2023 T20I series between New Zealand and Bangladesh nears ending through the final match at Mount Maunganui on December 31. Bangladesh hopes to win their first T20I series in New Zealand after a historic win in the first match on December 27th and a rain-affected draw in the second which happened on December 29th. Tigers are leading the series 1-0, while the host Kiwis are eager to level the series.  Let’s take a look at the preview of the final T20I, which promises to be an enthralling battle full of intensity and anticipation. Preview of Bangladesh vs New Zealand Third T20 Match in 2023 Overview of the 2023 BAN vs NZ 1st T20I  Bangladesh secured their first T20I victory on New Zealand soil by defeating a difficult target of 135 in Napier.  Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bowl against New Zealand in the first Twenty20 international at McLean Park. Shoriful Islam's outstanding bowling performance, which included three crucial wickets, was instrumental in restricting New Zealand to their lowest T20I total at home — 134 for 9.  Litton Das played an unbeaten innings of 42 of 36 balls. Besides, Mahedi Hasan played a key role in Bangladesh's successful chase, scoring a quick 19 runs off 16 balls leading the side to victory. Shoriful Islam was outstanding, taking two early crucial wickets, eventually ending with 3 wickets and was critical in limiting New Zealand to their lowest T20I total at home.  The bowlers, including Mahedi Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman with 2 wickets each, contributed significantly to Bangladesh's impressive performance.  Read more: Shoriful, Litton Lead Bangladesh to Historic T20I Win in New Zealand Overview of the 2023 BAN vs NZ 2nd T20I  On Friday, December 29, 2023, during the second Twenty20 international match between Bangladesh and New Zealand at Bay Oval, Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bowl.  New Zealand reached 72 for two after batting first. Tanzim Hasan Sakib took a crucial wicket to end Tim Seifert's quick 43. For 2, Shoriful Islam removed Finn Allen.  Due to persistent rain at Bay Oval, the match was called off after 11 overs. The match's cancellation leaves the series undecided, with the final match on Sunday deciding the winner.  Read more: Persistent rain forces abandonment of 2nd T20I Between NZ and BAN Bangladesh vs New Zealand Head to Head Records in T20I Matches Won by New Zealand Won by Bangladesh Tied N/R 19 14 4 00 01 According to the stats, New Zealand has the upper hand with 14 wins in 19 T20I matches gainsta Bangladesh. Read more: Preview of BAN Vs NZ T20I Series 2023: Fixtures, Schedule, Key Players, Team Probable Bangladesh Squad  Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain),  Litton Kumer Das,   Rony Talukdar, Tawhid Hridoy,     Hossain, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Soumya Sarkar, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice Captain),  Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman,  Shoriful Islam,  Hasan Mahmud,  Rishad Hossain,    Tanvir Islam, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Probable New Zealand Squad  Mitchell Santner (Captain), Finn Allen,   Mark Chapman, Rachin Ravindra, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham,  Glenn Phillips,  Ben Sears,    Tim Seifert,   Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, and Jacob Duffy. Read more: Overview Of BAN VS NZ ODI Series 2023: Post World Cup Matches Final Verdict Both teams are keen to win the trophy, so the 2023 BAN vs NZ T20 series finale on December 31 is sure to be a competitive match.  Though tigers won the first T20I in the ongoing series, Kiwis are dominating according to stats. Bangladesh may have the advantage due to their recent success in strange environments, but New Zealand will be competitive due to home advantage and the possibility of important players returning to form.  Bangladesh has a realistic chance to make history by winning the series in New Zealand, but the final result may depend on the weather. Read more: Bangladesh Cricket in 2023: Men’s ODI Series- Performance Analysis

Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bowl first in the opening match of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand in Dhaka on Thursday (September 21, 2023).  Immediately after the toss, rain interrupted play, leading groundsmen to cover the wickets. But within a few minutes, the sun came out, and the covers were removed.  Read: Litton Wants Tamim and Mahmudullah to Rediscover Joy in Their Game Regular Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan is absent from this series. Litton Das is leading the side in his place. In this match, Bangladesh included Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah Riyad, Soumya Sarkar, and Nurul Hasan, none of whom were part of the Bangladesh team in the Asia Cup held in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Lockie Ferguson is captaining New Zealand in this series. Read: BAN vs NZ ODI Series 2023: Bangladesh Squad Analysis This series presents an opportunity for Bangladesh to fine-tune their World Cup squad. It's particularly significant for Mahmudullah and Soumya, who have a chance to showcase their capabilities for the upcoming World Cup. Bangladesh XI: Litton Das, Tamim Iqbal, Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah Riyad, Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman. New Zealand XI: Finn Allen, Will Young, Chad Bowes, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Cole McConchie, Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson (capt), Trent Boult. Read more: Sriram Reappointed as Technical Consultant for Bangladesh Team

Every time a team like New Zealand visits Bangladesh, the local conditions take centre stage in discussions. The New Zealanders, who arrived in Dhaka later last week, anticipate conditions different from what they are accustomed to at home. However, Lockie Ferguson, the stand-in captain of the Blackcaps, expressed minimal concern about the conditions. Instead, he eagerly anticipated embracing the challenge Bangladesh presents. On his first visit to Bangladesh, the New Zealand captain had his first media interaction today in Dhaka's Mirpur. New Zealand cricket team's Sept tour: All ODIs to be held in Dhaka Ferguson believes that the seasoned players who have previously played in Bangladesh will provide valuable insights into the conditions and other nuances. They also have an advantage with the former Bangladesh coach, Shane Jurgensen, now part of New Zealand's coaching staff. "We will certainly lean on Jurgensen and a few of our players who were here a couple of years ago in terms of understanding how the pitch plays," Ferguson emphasised. "The conditions are slightly different from what we experienced in England (in their last series). I enjoy playing in the subcontinent." Has Mahmudullah's international career in cricket come to an end? Similarly, several members of the New Zealand squad are preparing to step on to the field in Bangladesh for the first time. The New Zealand captain expressed that Bangladesh's spin attack could play a pivotal role in this series, presenting a significant challenge for those new to the Bangladesh terrain. "Bangladesh is undoubtedly formidable in their home conditions. Hopefully, the rain holds off, but I'm curious to see how the pitch fares tomorrow and throughout this series," he remarked. According to him, New Zealand's spinners may need to assume the role of wicket-takers in this series. However, he didn't discount the potential contributions of the pacers. "I've seen some highlights from here when England visited, and there were still some favourable conditions for pacers. That's when the change-ups become more crucial," he added. "Given the high humidity, the ball tends to swing. We're known for our swing bowling, and I'm confident we'll capitalise on that tomorrow." Saying Goodbye to the Wickets: Stuart Broad Ends His Cricketing Odyssey For both Bangladesh and New Zealand, this series presents a final opportunity to fine-tune their squads ahead of the upcoming World Cup later this year. Some players in the New Zealand team are not part of the World Cup squad. Nonetheless, the stand-in captain sees this series as a chance for them to solidify their positions within the setup. "There's been considerable rotation within international cricket over the past few years, creating more opportunities for them. Undoubtedly, they'll seize this opportunity wholeheartedly this week," added the stand-in captain of the Kiwis.

Bangladesh could not perform well in the recently ended Asia Cup 2023. Shakib Al Hasan’s team will play at home against New Zealand to regain their confidence before the World Cup 2023. The New Zealand team has already reached Dhaka to play the three-match ODI series. BAN vs NZ series will start on September 21, 2023. All the matches will start at 2 pm Bangladesh time at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Bangladesh Squad for Bangladesh vs New Zealand ODI Series 2023 Litton Das (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Zakir Hasan, Rishad Hossain and Syed Khaled Ahmed. Analysis of Bangladesh Squad Against New Zealand Bangladesh has made the strategic decision to give a break to several key players during the initial two ODIs against New Zealand. Bangladesh Cricket Board aims to maintain the top players’ physical fitness for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Read more: 'Dil Jashn Bole': ICC releases World Cup 2023 Anthem Experienced players Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah have been included in the squad for the initial two ODIs. Their return will surely add valuable depth to the squad, and the selectors can decide if these two should be selected for the World Cup. Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Shoriful Islam are being given rest by the cricket board. This means that when the series starts next Thursday, we will see some new faces on the field. Since Shakib is on rest, Litton Das will be the captain of the Bangladesh cricket team. Some other players, like Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, and Mohammad Naim, were dropped from the squad. Instead, Soumya Sarkar and Nurul Hasan, along with three new and uncapped players, Zakir Hasan, Rishad Hossain, and Khaled Ahmed, have been selected to join the team. So, the upcoming series gives the selectors a chance to see how some other players perform before the World Cup and see if any hidden gem comes out. It can be said that the team has a mix of both experienced and young players. Among them, only Zakir, Khaled, and Rishad haven’t played in ODIs yet. Zakir almost got a chance to play against Ireland in March, but he got injured. Khaled has shown good performance in List A cricket, and Rishad brings something unique to the bowling strategy. Read more: Nic Pothas Steps in as Bangladesh's Interim Coach in Chandika's Absence On August 3, Tamim stepped down from his role as Bangladesh’s ODI captain. He also mentioned that he wouldn’t be playing in the Asia Cup because he needed time to recover from several injuries, and now he is back. Mahmudullah is making a comeback to the team after his last ODI series against England in March. He was given a break initially during the Ireland series in March-April but was later not selected for the away series against Ireland in Chelmsford in May. Additionally, he was also left out of the ODIs against Afghanistan and didn’t play in the Asia Cup. However, Soumya Sarkar’s selection is quite unexpected because he has been struggling with his performance for a while now. It was even surprising when he was picked for the Bangladesh A team in the recent Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams tournament. However, even at that level, he managed to score only 95 runs in three innings, which isn’t considered a strong performance. Read more: BAN vs NZ ODI Series: Tigers seek solutions to persistent issues Additionally, Bangladesh will be without Ebadot Hossain, who has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a recent knee surgery earlier this month. Furthermore, Najmul Hossain Shanto will also be absent from the New Zealand series due to a hamstring injury he sustained after participating in just two games during the Asia Cup. Among the new and uncapped players, Zakir, Rishad, and Khaled have all represented Bangladesh in various forms of cricket but have not played in ODIs yet. Zakir, who usually opens the batting, has an average of 29.92 after playing 103 List A matches. Rishad, who is only 21 years old, has participated in just three List A matches and made his T20I debut against Ireland earlier this year. Khaled, who is nearly 31 years old, is a medium-pace bowler with 64 List A wickets in 47 games. He has also played 12 Test matches for Bangladesh. Read more: New Zealand's stand-in captain embraces Bangladesh challenge Key Players to Watch in the Bangladesh Squad Tanzim Hasan Sakib Tanzim Hasan Sakib is a recent addition to the Bangladesh cricket team. He did great on his ODI debut against India in the last match of the Asia Cup Super Four round. He managed to take two important wickets of Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma and showed his skills before the 2023 World Cup. The speedster was a member of the Bangladesh Under-19 team that won the 2020 World Cup in South Africa. So, he will definitely get all the attention in this series. Tawhid Hridoy He has been performing well and scoring consistently ever since he made his T20 debut, and he also did pretty well in the Asia Cup. He scored 158 runs with 82 high scores and 68.69 strikes from five appearances in the Asia Cup. Further, his 54 runs off 81 balls contribution against India gave Bangladesh a good fighting chance. So, it is expected he will keep shining in the New Zealand series, too. Mahmudullah Mahmudullah was missed greatly in the Asia Cup 2023 as Bangladeshi top orders failed miserably, and there were no stable players to play in the middle orders. Mahmudullah could have contributed to those situations. So, fans will be looking to his performance in this series and see if he can give his best to be included in the World Cup squad. Overall, Mahmudullah played 218 ODIs for Bangladesh and scored 4950 runs with a highest score of 128 runs. Read more: Bangladesh Women's cricket team reaches China to compete in Asian Games Nasum Ahmed Nasum Ahmed can be a great pick for the middle order. While he did not get much chance to show his talent, he got attention in the last match against India. He scored 44 runs from 45 balls while batting at number 8. His bowling performance was also satisfactory. Although he did not get any wickets in the Asia Cup, his economy rate was 4.05 after bowling 20 overs. So, he will surely try to prove himself in both batting and bowling. Final Words This New Zealand series is an ideal opportunity to check the alternative players for the World Cup while giving the regular players rest. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken the opportunity perfectly. Now, we have to wait until the series ends on September 26 to see the outcome. This BAN vs NZ ODI series is considered as preparation for the World Cup 2023. Hence, the Tigers’ performance in this series will give us an idea about their performance in the World Cup. Read more: How to buy Online Tickets for Bangladesh vs New Zealand Series

After an incredible day of a Test match with the help of Ebadot Hossain’s late strike, Bangladesh are hoping for something big in the ongoing Test against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui. At the end of day four, New Zealand are leading only by 17 runs with five wickets in hand. If Bangladesh can produce another morning session as they did on day two— scalping five New Zealand wickets inside 70 runs— the visitors can hope big from this match, probably, the biggest Test win ever for them. Ebadot, who averaged more than 80 among the bowlers who scalped at least 10 wickets in Tests, emerged largely on the fourth day afternoon taking three wickets in two consecutive overs and bringing New Zealand down to 136 from two to 136 for five, which eventually kept Bangladesh on the race of winning this match. Bangladesh sent back Tom Latham early in the second innings as well, when Taskin Ahmed bowled a delivery outside off stumps, and Latham went to drive but only managed an inside edge which shattered his stumps. Devon Conway fell prey as Ebadto’s first wicket when New Zealand were at 63. Also read: Bangladesh hold firm after imperious batting display After that, it did seem like a boring draw was coming up. Will Young and Ross Taylor added 73 off 175 balls at the third wicket stand. But when Ebadot managed to trick Young for 69, it seemed the floodgate had opened as the pacer ran a riot after that taking the wickets of Nicholls and Blundell too. Bangladesh could have taken Taylor too if they had not missed two easy chances— a catch by Shadman Islam and an easy-looking run-out. New Zealand ended day four at 147 for five in 63 overs, with Ross Taylor and Rachin Ravindra for 37 and six respectively. For Bangladesh, Ebadot bagged four wickets conceding 39 runs— his best bowling in Tests so far. And the other wicket was taken by Taskin. Earlier, Bangladesh ended up on 458 in their first innings in 176.2 overs— the most overs played by any team in New Zealand after Pakistan’s 193.2 in 2009. In reply to New Zealand’s first innings total of 328, Bangladesh secured a 130-run lead. In the first innings, Conway hit a ton for the hosts. And for Bangladesh, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque and Liton Das hit a fifty each while Mehidy Hasan Miraz scored 47 for Bangladesh in Bangladesh’s first innings. Also read: Mahmudul uncertain for rest of New Zealand series Meanwhile, Mahmudul is uncertain for the remainder of this series as he suffered a blow on his right hand that required three stitches. Bangladesh’s physio Bayejidul Islam said that the batter will undergo a seven to 10-day observation now, which eventually, made his chance to take any further part in this series lean.

Bangladesh’s 21-year-old top-order batter Mahmudul Hasan Joy, after his maiden Test fifty against New Zealand, said that he focused on the deliveries instead of worrying about the bowlers. At the end of day three, Bangladesh are leading by 73 runs with four wickets in hand. In reply to New Zealand’s first innings total of 328, Bangladesh scored 401 for six at stumps. It was only the second Test of Mahmudul (first in New Zealand) where he smashed 78 off 228 balls. Along the way he became the first Bangladeshi opener to face 200 or more deliveries in New Zealand. Also read: Bangladesh hold firm after imperious batting display Before this match, Mahmudul got his Test cap against Pakistan when he got a torrid initiation to Tests-- a duck and six in his first two innings. “They have the best pace-bowling unit in the world,” he said about the pace-bowling attack of the reigning Test champions. “I just wanted to play my regular game. I did not think much over that. My focus was to play the delivers not the names of their bowlers.” Along with Mahmudul, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque and Liton Das have also hit a fifty. Mominul and Liton had passed the 80-run mark too but fell short of a few runs from their first Test century in New Zealand. “My plan was to face as many balls as possible, and the runs will come along the way. All of my partners in the middle have said this. It was the reason behind my calmness on the wicket. I must admit that the preparation ahead of the series has helped me a lot,” he added. Mahmudul and Shadman Islam put up a 43-run opening stand— highest in recent times. In the absence of the veteran batter Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh’s top-order has been struggling for a long time. Also read: Bangladesh takes lead after Mominul, Liton heroics “Shadman and I wanted to make the ball old,” Mahmudul said while talking about playing the new ball. “If I would have thought more, there was a big chance of losing the wicket. So we kept thinking ball by ball, and it eventually resulted in a good way.”

While chasing a huge total of 141 runs in 10 overs in the third T20I against New Zealand, Bangladesh got all-out for 76 in 9.3 overs on Thursday at Auckland. This is the first time for Bangladesh to lose all 10 wickets in less than 10 overs in any format of international cricket. And with losing this game by 65 runs, Bangladesh losing-streak against New Zealand in New Zealand reached 32 international games— the longest losing streak in International cricket against a team in their backyard. Also read: New Zealand hit 141 in 3rd T20I vs Bangladesh Soumya Sarkar started well hitting two fours off the first three balls he faced but got out of the fourth delivery of the first over bowled by the New Zealand captain Tim Southee. Off the last ball of the first over, Liton Das, captain of Bangladesh in this game as the regular captain Mahmudullah Riyad was ruled out due to an injury, tried to scoop off the first ball but Southee shattered his stumps. Bangladesh were never in a position in this game to offer some challenge to the hosts who won the T20I series 3-0. They had also won the sealed ODI series by the same margin. Mohammad Naim smashed some watchful sixes and one four, but that was not enough to run for the win in the game which was reduced to 10-over a side due to rain before the match. Naim was the highest runs getter in this game for the visitors with 19 off 13 balls with two sixes and one four while Mosaddek Hossain scored 13 and Soumya posted 10. For the hosts, leg-spinner Todd Astle bagged four wickets conceding 13 runs in two overs while Tim Southee took three wickets giving only 15 runs away in three overs. Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first under the overcast condition. In the three-over powerplay, New Zealand smashed 43 for none. Nasum Ahmed started bowling conceding nine runs in the first over. In the second over, Taskin Ahmed conceded 14 runs, and Nasum came in the third over and gave away 23 runs with three fours and one six. Also read: Liton to lead Tigers in 3rd T20I vs Kiwis New Zealand continued to smash boundaries as Finn Allen completed his first T20I fifty off 18 balls with eight fours and two sixes. Finn got dismissed by Taskin in the last over as the substitute fielder Mehdiy Hasan Miraz took a tough catch at the boundary in the third man area. Finn ended up on 71 off 29 balls with 10 fours and three sixes. Bangladesh got the first wicket when Martin Guptil skied off Mahedi Hasan to the deep area and Afif Hossain took an easy catch. Guptil ended up on 44 off 19 balls with five sixes and one four. Eventually, New Zealand ended up 141 for four with Finn hitting the highest score of 71. For Bangladesh, Mahedi, Taskin and Shoriful bagged one wicket each while the other wicket fell prey to runout. Also read: Bangladesh want to end New Zealand tour with consolation win Before coming into the T20Is series, the Tigers have lost the three-match ODI series 3-0. Bangladesh played a total of 31 international matches in New Zealand but failed to come up victorious in any of them. Bangladesh made three changes in this game as Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mosaddek Hossain and Rubel Hossain came in to replace Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun and Mohammad Saifuddin.

he Tigers now want to end their New Zealand tour with a consolation victory in the third T20 after being swept 3-0 in the ODI series and losing the first two T20s. Bangladesh's New Zealand tour started with the hope that the Tigers would register their maiden win in the island country against the hosts. They have played 31 matches against the Kiwis in New Zealand, but are yet to win a game against them here. Also read: Soumya hit fifty but Tigers lose T20Is series against Kiwis The final T20 match of the series is slated to be played on April 1 in Auckland at 12pm (Bangladesh time). Bangladesh top-order batsman Soumya Sarkar said, "We still believe that winning matches in New Zealand is still possible for us if we can play as a team and perform together." "The bowlers did well in one match, the batsmen in the other – this is how we played against New Zealand. But we have to play as a team if we want to win here," Soumya told the media over a video message. Also read: Tigers start T20 series vs New Zealand with big defeat "We were good at fielding in the last game but failed to bowl well and continue the good momentum while chasing a tough total. We have to play well in all three departments of the game." Bangladesh lost the first T20 of the series by 66 runs. They lost the next game by 28 runs in the DL method; Soumya hit a 50 but his effort went in vain as other batsmen failed to respond. Before the T20 series, the Tigers faced the hosts in a three-match ODI series which they lost 3-0.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first in the second T20 of the three-match series against New Zealand on Tuesday at Napier. The visitors have lost the first game by 66 runs. So this match is a chance for the Tigers to keep the series alive. The third and final match of this series will take place on April 1. Also read: Bangladesh vs New Zealand ODI Series 2021: Bangladesh Team Report Card Mushfiqur Rahim, the wicketkeeper-batsman of Bangladesh, who missed the first game of the series, is also unavailable in the second game for a shoulder injury. Bangladesh made a change to the playing XI replacing Mustafizur Rahman with Taskin Ahmed who bowled well in the ODI series. There is the possibility of rain during this game, and that is why the Bangladesh captain opted to bowl first under the overcast condition. Also read: New Zealand post 210 in 1st T20I vs Bangladesh Bangladesh (Playing XI): Mohammad Naim, Liton Das(w), Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah(c), Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed New Zealand (Playing XI): Martin Guptill, Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Tim Southee(c), Ish Sodhi, Hamish Bennett, Adam Milne

Bangladesh's dream of ending the winless drought in New Zealand dashed on Saturday as the Tigers lost the first match of the three-match ODI series against the hosts by eight wickets.