Bangladesh Vs New Zealand
T20 World Cup 2022: How prepared is Bangladesh?
One of the main reasons for playing international series heading to the T20 World Cup 2022 is to find the right balance in the playing XI. However, the Bangladesh players' tri-nation series performances have been underwhelming. The concern of whether the Bangladeshi team has lived up to expectations in its preparatory matches still remains.
How have the players performed in the preparatory international fixtures?
The Bangladesh T20I team competed in a two-match series against the host United Arab Emirates in September following a lackluster performance at the Asia Cup 2022. The Tigers defeated the weak UAE team comfortably, but most of the players' performances fell short of expectations.
Read: Tri-Series: As Bangladesh suffer another defeat, New Zealand march to final
Bangladesh’s real test was awaiting in the New Zealand tri-nation series, and the worry has been confirmed once the series got underway. The team appears to lack a game plan; the batters have made bad shot choices and have approached the game with little effort; and the bowling unit hasn't been efficient enough on New Zealand's fast track.
Taskin Ahmed in bowling and Shakib Al Hasan in batting have shown good intentions among the players. Taskin’s accuracy, pace, and economy rates have all been satisfactory. He has picked up 2 wickets with an economy rate of 7.37 in 2 matches of the tri-nation series.
Shakib, on the other hand, has been struggling to find his rhythm with the ball. He has yet to earn a wicket and has an economy rate of 9 in two outings. However, Shakib’s 70 off 44 balls against New Zealand on Wednesday was encouraging despite Bangladesh losing the contest handsomely by 48 runs.
Among the others, none has had a particularly impressive performance in the series to date. Afif Hossain and Litton Das are considered special talents. Both had a couple of good starts but couldn’t prolong their innings. What’s more annoying is that after spending some time in the middle, they repeatedly make mistakes which cost their wickets. Yasir Ali played a hard-hitting knock in the death overs against Pakistan in the series opener, which impressed many. Bangladesh can consider him to be sent up in the batting order.
In bowling, spinners Nasum Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz have maintained good economy rates, but they may not be go-to bowlers during the main event. The faster bowlers are expected to do well on fast bouncy wickets, but except for Taskin, all have failed to meet the expectations.
Bangladesh’s team performance hasn’t been up to the mark in this tri-nation series. Bowlers' main concern has been about not giving away too many runs, avoiding focusing more on picking up wickets. There is no specific strategy for batting. The batters have tried to play big shots whenever the asking rates go up. Everyone needs a specific role in batting in order to have the desired outcome from a contest. It seems every batter in Bangladesh tries, but none of them succeed.
Read: T20 World Cup 2022: Five potential candidates for most sixes
Will Bangladesh’s brand of T20 cricket work in New Zealand?
The Bangladesh national men’s cricket team expectedly lost its opening match of the Bangla Wash tri-series against a high-ranked T20I side, Pakistan, by 21 runs on Friday (October 7) in Christchurch. The experts have the right to criticize the Bangladesh team, especially the batting unit, after their dismal display against Pakistan. Will their current strategy for T20 cricket work in New Zealand conditions?
Bangladesh’s T20I record in New Zealand
The men's national cricket team of Bangladesh is taking part in a tri-nation series in New Zealand. The series serves as a warm-up for the 2022 T20 World Cup. Fans of Tigers cricket shouldn't have too much hope based on their team's overall T20I record in New Zealand. Bangladesh team has failed to win a T20I match in New Zealand in eight attempts. They have lost seven out of their eight games against New Zealand, showing how challenging it is to compete at their highest level under these circumstances.
Read: At a Glance: ICC T20 Men's World Cup 2022 Venues
Did Bangladesh’s strategy for the T20 format work against Pakistan in the first match?
Simply stated, Bangladesh's T20 strategy against Pakistan didn't work out. Captain Nurul Hasan Sohan chose to bat first in order to have a definite goal to play for. The fast bowlers did not live up to expectations, with the exception of Taskin Ahmed, who was by far the best player for Bangladesh in the match. As usual, Bangladesh's batters were disappointing and did not put Pakistan's bowlers under any significant strain.
Bowling
Mustafizur Rahman is considered the main weapon of Bangladesh’s pace bowling unit. But his outing in the first match once again proved that the left-hand pacer is currently going through a bad phase and can’t be trusted as a death-overs bowler. Mustafizur was hammered by the Pakistan batters all around the ground and was the costliest bowler of the contest with 12 economy rates.
The Bangladesh campaign should be even more worried by witnessing how Mustafizur has performed in 2022. He has the worst average (42.37) and strike rate (29.2) among the Bangladesh bowlers who have bowled at least 10 overs in the last year. His 8.69 economy rate is also among the worst among the Bangladeshi players. This stat clearly suggests that Bangladesh shouldn’t trust Mustfaizur Rahman as one of their death-overs specialists, at least in Oceania conditions.
Young Hasan Mahmud was expensive against Pakistan. He needs to work with pace bowling coach Alan Donald on adjusting his line and length for these conditions. The performances of pace bowler Taskin Ahmed and spinner Nasum Ahmed were the two positives for Bangladesh. Taskin, in particular, was magnificent in his approach and the way he put pressure on the Pakistan batters. He finished his spell with 2/25 in 4 overs. Nasum Ahmed, on the other hand, conceded only 22 runs in his spell.
Read: Women's Asia Cup: Pakistan win thriller against India
Batting
Mehidy Hasan Miraz was sent to start the innings with Sabbir Rahman as Bangladesh continued to experiment with the opening position. They were having trouble timing the ball when trying to settle into the wicket. Both of them failed and headed to the pavilion after having fewer than 100 strike rates.
The only chance Bangladesh had was during the middle overs, when Afif Hossain and Litton Das were forming a partnership. They tried to break free by hitting some shots, especially on the leg side. However, the bulk of their shots weren't solid enough, and they might easily fall into the hands of the fielders on any given day.
Bangladesh’s innings fell apart when Litton-Afif’s 50-run stand came to an end in the 13th over. Yasir Ali impressed many Bangladesh cricket fans by hitting some big shots and ending his innings with an unbeaten 42* off 21. However, one needs to understand that when Yasir tried to smack Pakistan bowlers, by then Bangladesh’s hope in the contest was done and dusted. He needs to show his power-hitting ability when under pressure. But Yasir has given a hint to the team management that promoting him to the top order could be a good idea.
Overall, Bangladesh's batters' strategy was shaky and ineffective under these circumstances. The batters had better be well-prepared to chase 200 runs in upcoming matches. They must possess the skills necessary to play shots confidently and the attitude needed to consistently pressure the opposing bowlers. Because their cautious strategy didn't work in the first game and it won't work in the following games either.
Read: Tri-series: Dismal batting continues to haunt Bangladesh
The 3 challenges Bangladesh may face in New Zealand Tri-Series 2022
With a little over two weeks left before the T20 World Cup 2022 begins in Australia, the participating teams are currently busy preparing themselves for the main event. In this perspective, New Zealand will organize a tri-series beginning on October 7 that includes Bangladesh and Pakistan. Let’s take a look at the 3 challenges Bangladesh may face in the forthcoming New Zealand Tri-Series 2022.
New Zealand Tri-Series 2022: The main challenges for the Bangladeshi players
The Bangladesh cricket team’s recent performance in the Twenty20 format hasn’t been impressive. They have won 4 out of 12 matches this year, but all of the wins have come against weaker opponents or teams at the same level. In this context, Bangladesh’s poor run in the T20 format itself will be a big challenge during the tri-nation series. Here are the three areas where the tigers may struggle in the upcoming competition.
Read: Bangladesh clinch T20I series vs UAE with easy win
Conditions
The Bangladesh players don’t have enough experience to play in the New Zealand conditions. A different skill set is required in order to do well in those kinds of conditions. Wickets in the Oceania region offer more bounce and pace. Balls come to the bat fast, and pace bowlers can get a lot of advantage from the surfaces.
Whereas, in Bangladesh and sub-continent conditions, wickets usually remain slow and damp. The wickets offer more turn and swing, and batters often find it tough to score runs. Therefore, Bangladesh's players need to be well versed in the conditions. More importantly, the sooner they can adapt to the condition, the better for them.
Strike Rotation - Batting
Bangladesh batters' strike rates have been really unimpressive. One of the main reasons for that is their inability to play big shots on a consistent basis. The batters mindset and approach need to adjust according to the format.
Because of the bouncy wickets, Bangladesh players may find it difficult to make an immediate impact in New Zealand conditions. But players will flourish if they can read the pitches properly and make some technical adjustments in their batting.
The T20I stats of Bangladesh players in New Zealand haven’t been good. The two players who have more than 100 T20I runs and fifty plus scores in an innings in New Zealand are Soumya Sarkar and Mahmudullah Riyad, but they are not part of the team. Soumya has a more than 150 strike rate as well.
Except for these two players, none of the Bangladesh players have even 100 Twenty20 international runs in New Zealand and their strike rates are poor as well. Therefore,a real challenge is waiting for the batters.
Read: Bangladesh squad for Women's T20 Asia Cup announced
Five Shining Stars of Bangladesh in NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022
Bangladesh lost the second match of the Test series against New Zealand by an innings and 117 runs on Tuesday (January 11). As a result, the New Zealand-Bangladesh series ended in a draw (1-1). The Bangladesh team showed some fighting spirit in their second innings in the final Test in Christchurch, otherwise, they were totally outplayed by the New Zealand side. Unlike past Bangladesh trips to New Zealand, the team will take some positives from this one. Take a look at Bangladesh's top five performers in the NZ vs BAN Test series 2022.
2022 NZ vs BAN Test Series: Bangladesh's Top Five Performers
The majority of Bangladesh players had performed well in the series-opening Test, enabling them to win a historic match on New Zealand soil. The bowlers were utterly unimpressive in the second Test, while some of the batters displayed their ability on a tricky pace-friendly surface. Here are the five best Bangladeshi performers in the NZ vs BAN Test series 2022.
Read:Bangladesh end New Zealand tour with Liton’s imperious ton
Ebadot Hossain
M: 2 | Inn: 3 | Wickets: 9 | BBI: 6/46 | Ave: 29.33 | Econ: 3.82 | 5W: 1
Ebadot Hossain was Bangladesh's main standout player in the first Test. Bangladesh were able to take complete control of the contest because of his superb bowling. Even though Ebadot struggled in the first innings, he bounced back in the second innings and took six key wickets. Bangladesh reached a mere 40-run target with the cost of two wickets after bowling New Zealand out for 169 in their second innings. Ebadot Hossain took the most wickets for Bangladesh in the series, with nine.
Liton Das
M: 2 | Inn: 3 | Runs: 196 | HS: 102 | Ave: 65.33 | 50s: 1 | 100s: 1
Liton Das has been Bangladesh's most in-form Test batter since 2021, and he was the team's leading scorer in this series. In the first innings of the first Test, Liton put on an important 158-run partnership with Captain Mominul Haque for the fifth wicket. Their partnership had a significant impact on the outcome of this game. Liton had an 86-run contribution in the first inning. Liton scored his second Test century in the second innings of the second Test. The stylish right-hander delivered an aggressive knock.
Read Top Five Memorable Individual Knocks of BPL History
Mahmudul Hasan Joy
M: 1 | Inn: 1 | Runs: 78 | HS: 78 | Ave: 78.00 | 50s: 1 | 100s: 0
Newbie Mahmudul Hasan Joy was unable to participate in the second Test of the series due to an injury. However, his 78-run knock in the first innings of the first Test reminded everyone of former Bangladesh Test opener Javed Omar Belim. He was extremely patient and played 228 balls in the middle to score those runs. The remainder of Bangladesh's batters were motivated by Mahmudul's batting approach to stay strong at the crease. He is one of Bangladesh's top finds in the series.
Shoriful Islam
M: 2 | Inn: 3 | Wickets: 5 | BBI: 3/69 | Ave: 35.60 | Econ: 2.69 | 5W: 0
Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam was Bangladesh's most economical bowler. He took three wickets in the first Test and took two wickets in the second match. Shoriful Islam has shown to be a potent longer-format bowler. If BCB properly nurtures him, he can serve the Bangladesh national team for a longer period of time.
Read: New Zealand take giant stride as Bangladesh suffer batting collapse
Taskin Ahmed
M: 2 | Inn: 3 | Wickets: 3 | BBI: 3/36 | Ave: 76.66 | Econ: 3.15 | 5W: 0
Pacer Taskin Ahmed has come a long way in the last two years. Taskin has represented Bangladesh in all formats since making his international return. The right-hand bowler took three wickets in the second innings of the first Test, allowing Bangladesh to seize control of the contest. Taskin's economy rate was a little above 3 in the series, but he had exhibited excellent consistency in line and lengths.
Aftermath
Bangladesh made history by winning a match for the first time on New Zealand soil. Bangladesh's 8-wicket victory in the first Test is widely regarded as the country's greatest achievement on the international stage. New players like Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Yasir Ali, and Shoriful Islam showed a lot of potentials during the NZ vs BAN Test series 2022. Liton Das, Mominul Haque, Ebadot Hossain, Mehidy Miraz, Najmul Hossain, and Taskin Ahmed all had strong performances on the trip. The Bangladesh team gained a lot of confidence from the tour, which would hopefully help them revive the country's longer-version cricket.
Read BPL 2022: The Favourites, Outsiders and Underdogs
Pumped-up Tigers aim for monumental series win against Blackcaps
With the job half done, Bangladesh are all set to take on New Zealand from Sunday in the second Test of the series aiming to finish the job — to win their first-ever Test series against the Blackcaps.
The Tigers, who had no win in New Zealand despite playing a total of 32 matches across all the formats, won the first Test of the series in Tauranga by eight wickets.
Along with becoming their first-ever win in New Zealand, this win ended the drought of Bangladesh of not winning a Test against any of the top-five Test teams away from home.
Experts said it was one of the best things that Bangladesh have done in their cricketing history, though Masrhafe Bin Mortaza, the former captain of the Tigers is not a big fan of this idea. He rather said ‘not one of the best’, it actually is ‘the best-ever win’ of Bangladesh in cricket regardless of the formats.
Read: Bangladesh National Men's Cricket Team Schedules for 2022
Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan echoed Mashrafe. To him, this win proved those who used to think that Bangladesh is unable to do big things sans the service of the big players wrong. Shakib pointed to the absence of himself and Tamim Iqbal in this series. While Tamim was left out due to an injury, Shakib skipped it citing family reasons.
“Bangladesh’s media fraternity used to say that the Bangladesh team is all about some four-five players, but it is proved wrong now. The young players are also capable of doing big things if they are given adequate chances,” Shakib said recently during a media interaction in Dhaka.
Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo believes the Tigers are pumped-up thanks to the win in the first match, and they are eager to create a new chapter of their history winning the second Test in a tougher condition in Christchurch which will surely offer a wicket with grass on it.
Given the current stats of Bangladesh in the longer format of the sport, one might say it’s a daydream of the Tigers to aim for a series win against New Zealand— the current champions of the ICC World Test Championship. But a win with the contribution from most players of the XI changed the atmosphere of the Bangladesh team.
Bangladesh Eye Historic Test Series Win in New Zealand
As Bangladesh won the first Test against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui, history can be repeated in Christchurch. An inexperienced team snatched an unprecedented victory for Bangladesh which has motivated Team Tigers to upset the host Blackcaps in the second Test at the Hagley Oval. Not to mention, the Kiwis will fight heart and soul to level the series by avenging their loss in the opening match. On the other hand, Bangladesh aspire to win their first Test series against New Zealand. Let's have a look at the preview for the second Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh.
New Zealand vs Bangladesh 2nd Test Match Preview
Some important feats were broken following Bangladesh's historic Test match victory against New Zealand in the series opener. Prior to that win, team Tigers had lost 32 games in all formats against the Blackcaps in New Zealand. Besides, Bangladesh had to wait for 16 matches to beat New Zealand in a Test match for the first time. New Zealand had gone 17 games without losing before facing Bangladesh in the first Test of the ongoing series. It was against South Africa in 2017 that they last lost a home Test series. As a result, they are in danger of losing their first home Test series in five years. Bangladesh will win the series 1-0 if the second Test ends in a draw. The second match will begin at 4 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time) on Sunday.
Read Five Defining Moments of Bangladesh’s Historic Test Victory Over New Zealand
New Zealand
The way in which New Zealand performed in the first Test was upsetting for the team. New Zealand should have won the match despite the fact that the surface was favorable to the batters. However, Bangladesh's fast bowlers were outstanding throughout the match. They bowled New Zealand out twice in the match and clinched a historic victory over them.
The New Zealand campaign must reflect on what went wrong in the first match and try to find a solution in order to rectify their mistakes in the do-or-die second Test.
New Zealand batters Latham, Nicholls, and Ross Taylor failed to motivate the batting unit in the absence of regular leader Kane Williamson. Conway scored a century in the first innings but fell short in the crucial second innings.
Read Bangladesh National Men's Cricket Team Schedules for 2022
In the bowling department, Jamieson, Wagner, and Southee were not in their usual lethal form, which allowed Bangladesh to bat for a long time in the first innings (176.2 overs, their second-highest in away Tests).
The faster bowlers will benefit from the Christchurch pitch, and everyone knows how deadly Kiwi bowlers can be on a green surface. More crucially, New Zealand players have a strong track record in Christchurch, where they dominate the bowling and batting charts. Therefore, New Zealand will be hoping for a great comeback in order to save the series.
Top 3 most wicket-takers at the Hagley Oval (Test)
Player
Match
Wickets
BBI
BBM
Ave
Trent Boult
8
48
6/30
9/107
21.52
Tim Southee
8
39
6/62
8/142
21.56
Neil Wagner
7
25
6/106
7/166
26.48
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Top 3 most run-scorers at the Hagley Oval (Test)
Player
Match
Runs
HS
Ave
100
Tom Latham
8
612
176
43.71
1
Kane Williamson
8
574
238
44.15
1
Henry Nicholls
7
489
162*
54.33
2
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Probable Playing XI
Top Order: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Will Young, Middle-Order: Henry Nicholls, Ross Taylor, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell, Lower-Order: Kyle Jamieson, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.
Read BPL 2022: The Favourites, Outsiders and Underdogs
Bangladesh
Bangladesh's young Test team surprised the cricket world with their steady performance in the first Test match against New Zealand. Bangladesh can take a lot of positives away from this encounter. The most vital one is that pace bowlers had shown encouraging bowling displays all throughout the game. Pacer Ebadot Hossain had the worst bowling average prior to this match but he dramatically improved his Test stats with a match-winning bowling performance in the second innings. Taskin Ahmed has improved as a Test bowler, while left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam has demonstrated his bowling potential. In short, pace bowlers were just excellent in the competition.
Newcomer Mahmudul Hasan Joy had displayed great patience with the bat. The batting technique of Nazmul Hossain and Liton Das was flawless. In addition, skipper Mominul Haque played a key role by forming a strong partnership with Liton Das in the first innings. Bangladesh's overall team performance was brilliant.
Bangladesh would be obliged to make one change in the playing XI for the second Test due to Mahmudul Hasan Joy's unexpected injury. Mohammad Naim is most likely to take his position in the final encounter of the series.
Read BPL 2022: Five Promising Young Players to Watch
Probable Playing XI
Top Order: Shadman Islam, Mohammad Naim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Middle-Order: Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Liton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Lower-Order: Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain
What Should be Bangladesh’s Game Strategy
Bangladesh's batters will face even more tough competition in the second Test because of the pace-friendly pitch in Christchurch. However, it would be an ideal pitch for Bangladesh pacers to perform to their full potential in the match. They will have to shoulder most of the responsibility to win the series.
On the other hand, batters must be even more cautious in their approach and batting technique. The Tigers will be able to seize control of the game if they score big in the first innings. Bangladesh may accomplish their goal with adequate planning and commitment.
Read ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022: SWOT Analysis of Bangladesh Team
Team-wise Test Records in Christchurch
Team
Match
Won
Lost
Draw
New Zealand
8
6
1
1
Pakistan
2
0
2
0
Sri Lanka
2
0
2
0
Australia
1
1
0
0
England
1
0
0
1
Bangladesh
1
0
1
0
India
1
0
1
0
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Probable Playing XI
Top Order: Shadman Islam, Mohammad Naim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Middle-Order: Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Liton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Lower-Order: Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain.
Read BPL 2022: SWOT Analysis of all Six Teams
New Zealand vs Bangladesh: Head-to-Head Test Stats
Bangladesh and New Zealand have faced each other in 16 matches. Bangladesh won its first-ever Test match against New Zealand in the opening game of the ongoing series in Mount Maunganui. Overall, New Zealand have won 12 games, Bangladesh have won one, and the remaining three games have ended in a draw. Bangladesh will play a Test match in Christchurch for the second time. They played New Zealand in a Test at the Hagley Oval in 2017, which they lost by 9 wickets.
New Zealand vs Bangladesh 2nd Test Match: Pitch Report and Weather Forecast
The Hagley Oval in Christchurch will most likely be a pace-friendly surface. Therefore, batters must remain patient at the crease, as quicker bowlers are likely to get seam movement throughout the game. The weather forecast suggests that the temperature would be a little milder on the first day. The final two days are scheduled to be rainy, but the match is expected to go on to the end. Bangladesh played a match against New Zealand in Christchurch back in 2017 and they lost the encounter by 9 wickets.
Verdict
New Zealand are a tough opponent in Christchurch. Their record against Sub-Continent teams at the Hagley Oval is particularly impressive. Therefore, beating New Zealand on this particular ground will be a huge challenge for Bangladesh. However, this Bangladeshi team is extremely driven right now and believes that they can beat any major Test side in the world. In this regard, the second Test match between New Zealand and Bangladesh is likely to be competitive.
Read NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladesh Players to keep an eye on
Five Defining Moments of Bangladesh’s Historic Test Victory Over New Zealand
Every cricket fan in the world is now wondering how Bangladesh were able to pull off such an incredible triumph away from home against the reigning ICC World Test Champions New Zealand. Those who didn't pay attention to the contest were certainly astonished by the outcome. The truth is that Bangladesh dominated for five days and earned a well-deserved victory over New Zealand in the series-opening Test in Mount Maunganui. Let's take a deeper look at the five defining moments in Bangladesh's historic win over New Zealand.
Five Pivotal Moments of New Zealand-Bangladesh First Test
There were a few crucial moments during the first Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. Those important moments aided Bangladesh in securing a stunning victory in the contest. Here are the match's five key moments.
Bangladesh pacers domination in the first session of the match
As the phrase goes, morning shows the day, that's exactly what transpired in the first session of this match. Bangladesh's captain Mominul Haque won the toss and asked New Zealand to bat first. Thankfully, Bangladesh pacers came out with a lot of intensity and, more importantly, a well-thought-out strategy.
The accuracy of the Shoriful-Taskin pace bowling pair was absolutely fantastic, making life difficult for the Kiwi top order. Bangladesh only grabbed one wicket in the first session, and New Zealand were 66/1 at lunch. However, the Bangladesh bowling team surprised the Kiwi campaign with their outstanding performance. Their effort set the tone for the remainder of the match for Bangladesh.
Read Roaring Tigers Script Groundbreaking History in New Zealand
The steadfast batting of Mahmudul Hasan
Young Mahmudul Hasan Joy was brilliant with the bat in the first innings. He was tenacious and adamant about holding his grip on the crease. Mahmudul played 228 balls in his 78-run innings, demonstrating his vigilance in the middle. His batting style encouraged the other batters to be more competitive at the crease. Therefore, Mahmudul Hasan's knock was one of the turning points in the match.
An effective partnership between Mominul and Liton
Bangladesh were down to 203/4 at one point in the first innings. Bangladesh needed a big partnership to take control of the contest. Mominul Haque and Liton Das achieved just that in the fifth wicket. They put up 158 runs for the fifth wicket, allowing Bangladesh to build a comfortable lead in the first innings. Nonetheless, it was disappointing to see both batsmen lose out on a Test century while being in a good position. However, the Mominul-Liton stand was a major deciding factor in the contest.
Read BPL 2022: The Favourites, Outsiders and Underdogs
Ebadot’s bowling charisma in the final hour of day 4
Pacer Ebadot Hossain was strongly criticized for not bowling to his full potential. Critics slammed him for not thinking much during the first innings while bowling. The right-handed medium-pacer silenced his doubters by bowling superbly in New Zealand's second innings. He came out with a lot of intensity and took up four key wickets in the third session of day-4. Thanks to his exceptional bowling, New Zealand were reduced to 147/5 in 63 overs, gaining just a 17-run lead at the end of day-4. Bangladesh's prospects of winning the match significantly improved after a fantastic bowling effort by the bowling unit.
The bowlers finish the job in the first hour of the fifth day
Bangladesh were required to wrap up New Zealand's second innings as soon as possible for a low-run chase. Bowlers were even more determined in the final day's opening session. Bangladesh took all of New Zealand's wickets in just 10.3 overs. Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed struck again, dismissing New Zealand for 169 runs. Bangladesh just needed to chase down 40 runs to win a historic match against New Zealand, thanks to their outstanding performance. So, Bangladesh's discipline and inspirational bowling in the morning session of day five was one of the match’s pivotal moments.
Read BPL 2022: Five Promising Young Players to Watch
Aftermath
Considering the Bangladesh cricket team's recent poor performance on the international stage, no one expected Bangladesh to win the first Test of the two-match series against New Zealand. However, a young and inexperienced Bangladesh team showed in the match that they can stun big teams anywhere in the world in cricket's most prestigious format. This victory would instill confidence in the current group of national team cricketers, allowing them to perform well in the upcoming Test fixtures in 2022. Furthermore, this triumph will serve as a stepping stone for future generations of cricketers.
Roaring Tigers Script Groundbreaking History in New Zealand
Finally, the time has come to celebrate a victory on New Zealand soil. The roaring tigers overcame the Blackcaps in New Zealand for the first time. They defeated the Kiwis by 8 wickets in front of their home supporters at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday (November 5). Bangladesh had to wait for 33 matches to win their first match on New Zealand soil in any format. This triumph will surely go down as one of the historic moments in Bangladesh cricket. Let's look at how Bangladesh beat New Zealand in the first Test match.
Match Report: New Zealand-Bangladesh First Test
New Zealand were 147/5 at the end of day 4, barely 17 runs ahead in Bangladesh's first innings. As a result, the Bangladesh campaign was anticipating a win in this encounter. They were required to take all of New Zealand's wickets in the first session on day 5. That is just what the Bangladeshi team executed in the first hour of the session.
Also read: Tigers script history by registering first Test win against Kiwis in NZ
Bangladesh took the remainder of New Zealand's wickets in just 10.3 overs and knocked them out for only 169 runs. With that, New Zealand's lead had extended to only 40 runs, making Bangladesh's target a cakewalk.
Pacer Ebadot Hossain came out with a lot of aggression in the early morning of the day and picked up three more wickets. Ebadot was heavily criticized for his sloppy bowling in the first innings, but he responded with a great bowling effort. The accuracy of Ebadot and the other two pacers, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam was outstanding. Taskin Ahmed took three wickets for 36 runs and Ebadot concluded his spell with 46/6 in 21 overs.
Bangladesh chased down the target in 16.5 overs, losing two openers - Shadman Islam (3) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (17), and claiming a landmark win in Bangladesh cricket history. Two senior members of the team, Mominul Haque (13*) and Mushfiqur Rahim (5*), were at the crease when Bangladesh beat New Zealand.
Read Ebadot’s late strike strengthens Bangladesh’s command
Overall, this was a successful encounter for some Bangladeshi players. Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who is already out for the second match, delivered a solid 78-run knock in the first innings. He has a promising career ahead of him. In the first innings, Najmul Hossain (64), Mominul Haque (88), and Liton Das (86) all had chances to score centuries but lost out on a good opportunity. All of the pacers, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam, were superb in both innings. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz was also effective with the ball. So, the Bangladesh team can take a lot of positives from this match ahead of the second Test in Christchurch.
Read BPL 2022: The Favourites, Outsiders and Underdogs
Player of the Match
Right-arm medium pacer Ebadot Hossain was named player of the match for his outstanding performance with the ball. He took 7 wickets in the match. However, it was his fiery second-inning bowling performance that gave Bangladesh the win.
Way Forward
The Bangladesh men's cricket team was under enormous pressure following a poor performance in the T20 World Cup, which was followed by a series against Pakistan. So, they really needed this historic Test match victory to revive Bangladesh cricket. Bangladesh were dismantled and clueless in the most recent series, and team morale was down following a string of poor performances. Therefore, this Test match victory will surely strengthen Bangladesh's confidence. The second Test match of the BAN vs NZ series will take place in Christchurch on January 9 (Sunday).
Read BPL 2022: Five Promising Young Players to Watch
Tigers script history by registering first Test win against Kiwis in NZ
When Mushfiqur Rahim cracked Kyle Jamieson a cut to the off-side for a boundary in Mount Maunganui, most Bangladeshis were fast asleep.
Only two runs were needed to upset World Test Champions New Zealand in their home turf, and Mushfiqur ran into roaring, fisting bumps and hugging non-striker Momiminul Haque as he hit the winning four.
The sun had not risen then in Bangladesh, but few did wake up across the country to witness the famous Test win of Bangladesh on TV or mobile screen— undoubtedly the best Test result of Bangladesh so far in 22 years.
“It was teamwork. Everyone was keen to win the match and they put their hand up in all three departments,” the Bangladesh Test captain said. “We won because of the bowlers. They were outstanding in both the first and second innings. They did all the hard work and bowled in the right areas. Ebadot was unbelievable to us.”
After Ebadot Hossain’s history-making six-wicket haul for 46, it was only a matter of time for Bangladesh to score 40 runs in the fourth innings of the match with a lot of overs were remaining. Despite losing Shadman Islam early, Bangladesh’s win was a cakewalk, and eventually, it came and ended a 32-match drought in New Zealand with eight wickets in hand.
The platform was set by Ebadot in the third session of the fourth day when he ran a riot taking three wickets of New Zealand in quick succession after a boring stand by Will Young and Ross Taylor.
After Ebadot removed Young with a wonderful delivery that the latter seemed to not have expected, the floodgate was open and two more wickets came in two successive overs of Ebadot.
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NZ-BAN First Test draw can give Bangladesh the pleasure of victory
Bangladesh have played a total of 15 Test matches against New Zealand, losing 12 and drawing three. However, all the Test matches in which Bangladesh drew were disrupted due to inclement weather conditions. So, if Bangladesh draw the ongoing Test match, it will be a tremendous success for them. Bangladesh have been in good form since the start of this Test match. They may expect fantastic outcomes in this test if this consistency can be maintained for the following two days of the match. Let's take a quick look at Bangladesh's performance on the third day of the contest.
Match Scenario of New Zealand-Bangladesh First Test
Bangladesh finished day two with a score of 175/2, and it was uncertain if they would be able to maintain their momentum on day three. However, the batters remained steadfast on day three and continued to play in the same manner as they had on day two. Bangladesh scored 401 runs for the loss of six wickets on day three. They now have a 73-run lead against New Zealand in the first innings.
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Bangladesh are now hoping to expand their lead to over 150 runs in order to put pressure on New Zealand in their second innings. Will they be able to construct a healthy gap against New Zealand on day four? Given Bangladesh's performance thus far in the tournament and the nature of the pitch, it is highly likely that Bangladesh will take a lead of close to 200 runs.
Day 3 Highlights of the 2022 BAN vs NZ First Test
Bangladesh's opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy (78), Mominul Haque (88), and Liton Das (86) all returned to the pavilion on day three following good innings in the middle.
The first victim of the day was Mahmudul Hasan, who was picked by Neil Wagner with a short delivery. He was shaky from the start of the morning and he eventually fell apart in the face of Wagner's short ball. Following that, Skipper Mominul Haque and Liton Das formed a strong partnership and pushed the total to 361.
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Trent Boult took Mominul's wicket through Ibw shortly after the Tea break. However, the left-hander may have been out at 8 if Kylie Jamieson had scooped up Mominul's return catch. It was one of the pivotal moments of the day since Mahmudul Hasan had just been dismissed a few overs before, and losing another wicket would have been a significant blow to Bangladesh's chances. In addition, Mominul also got another life in his innings.
On the other hand, Liton Das played a brilliant innings at Mount Maunganui on a flat track. He seemed at ease in the middle and didn't allow the opposition bowlers a chance. However, Liton was bowled by Trent Boult for a poor shot outside off-stump.
Yasir Ali (11*) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (20*) stayed unbeaten at the crease in the end. They will have to play sensibly in the opening session on day 4 In order to get a big first-innings total. Trent Boult and Neil Wagner have each taken three wickets for New Zealand thus far.
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Bangladesh also set a new record on day three. They have played 156 overs so far in this innings, the most by the Tigers outside Asia and the third most outside Bangladesh.
Most Overs played in a Test innings by Bangladesh (Away Tests, top 5)
Score
Overs
Opposition
Ground
Year
638
196
Sri Lanka
Galle
2013
541/7d
173
Sri Lanka
Pallekele
2021
401/6*
156*
New Zealand
Mount Maunganui
2022
595/8d
152
New Zealand
Wellington
2017
361
137.5
Pakistan
Peshawar
2003
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Verdict
Bangladesh should anticipate a brilliant outcome in the ongoing New Zealand-Bangladesh first Test if they continue to play like they have done so far. Because Mount Maunganui's surface is conducive to batting, the prospects of the wicket shifting drastically over the next two days are slim. In this circumstance, the hosts are unlikely to be out quickly following the end of Bangladesh's second innings. Bangladesh will be able to finish the match with a satisfying draw if they can hold their composure on the fifth day and bat to the end. Besides, Bangladesh will also receive its first point in the current ICC Test Championship.
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