Tigers to face off New Zealand for second ODI today

Bangladesh set its target to take a lead in the three-match ODI series when they take on New Zealand in the second match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Saturday, reports BSS.

The match which starts at 2 PM will be aired live on T Sports and GTV.

The first match on Thursday was washed out due to heavy rain. Therefore, both the teams will try to take an early lead in the series by winning the match.

Before the rain forced the first game to call off, Bangladesh had taken upper-hand over New Zealand, reducing the visitors to 136-5 in 33.4 overs. The match was earlier reduced to 42-over due to a spell of shower.

Bangladesh bowlers' performance was praiseworthy, specially the performance of Mustafizur Rahman gave the team management a sigh of relief. Mustafizur who of late had found his place constantly in the bench, came up with fire, in absence of the side's first choice bowling attack.

He sliced Kiwis' top-order and claimed 3-27 in his seven overs. His death over skill was effective as it was but there was huge concern with his skill in the new ball, which he to some extent quelled, taking two wickets in the power play.

Taking wickets with the new ball is not common for him in fact. He has only done this four times - in 90 ODI innings - in his career before today, the last instance coming 20 months ago, in January 2021.

"Fizz (Mustafizur) has been working hard for the last month or so, to try to find some rhythm with the new ball. He has worked hard with (fast-bowling coach) Allan Donald. You can see the fruits, and it is coming along at the right time before the World Cup," Nic Pothas, the Bangladesh assistant coach who is supervising the Tigers in this series in absence of Chandika Hathurusingha showed his excitement at Mustafizur's new ball skill.

"We are very happy for him. We know his death-bowling credentials. You can wake him up at 3 o'clock in the morning to bowl death overs, and he will do them with the best in the world," Nic Pothas added.

New Zealand captain Lockie Ferguson was happy with the way batters were batting in the slow pitch. The visitors were reduced to 16-2 after being sent to bat first but thanks to a 97-run partnership between Will Young and Henry Nicholls, they put up some fight in a country where they haven't won any ODI game since 2008.

Young made team-high 58 while Nicholls scored 44.

"Obviously, when there's rain involved, it's always upsetting. But at the same time, there's a few positives to take out of it, having been here for the first time," Ferguson said.

"Interesting to see how the wicket played. I thought Young and Henry batted really well. It was challenging conditions for them at times. I thought Bangladesh bowled really well," he added.

Ferguson said they would discuss more about their game plan before coming back to here for the second ODI.

"From our point of view, we're just taking those learnings and focusing on this series. Second ODI is obviously only a couple days away, so no doubt we'll regroup, talk about today and see what works and then pass the information on to the bowlers to hopefully have a dip on Saturday," Ferguson said.

Meanwhile both the teams had cancelled their practice session on Friday.

Bangladesh: Litton Das (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Zakir Hasan, Rishad Hossain and Syed Khaled Ahmed.

New Zealand: Lockie Ferguson (captain), Finn Allen, Chad Bowes, Will Young, Tom Blundell, Dean Foxcroft, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Cole McConchie, Dane Cleaver, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner and Trent Boult.