New Zealand captain Tom Latham asked Bangladesh to bat first in the series-deciding third One Day International (ODI) after winning the toss at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram today, Thursday.
The three-match series is locked at 1-1 after both sides secured a win each in Dhaka. New Zealand claimed the opening match by 26 runs before Bangladesh bounced back with a convincing six-wicket victory in the second ODI.
Young pacer Nahid Rana was the standout performer in that game, producing a sensational five-wicket haul (5-32) to dismantle the New Zealand batting lineup with pace under testing conditions.
A win today would hand Bangladesh their third consecutive ODI series triumph, following recent victories over the West Indies and Pakistan.
The hosts made two changes to their lineup, bringing in pacer Mustafizur Rahman and left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam in place of Taskin Ahmed and Rishad Hossain.
New Zealand made one change, recalling Ben Lister in place of Blair Tickner.
The visitors, meanwhile, are aiming to secure back-to-back ODI series wins in Bangladesh, having clinched a 2-1 victory during their previous tour in 2023, their first series win in the country since 2008.
Line Ups:
Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Liton Das(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz(c), Tanvir Islam, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana
New Zealand: Henry Nicholls, Nick Kelly, Will Young, Tom Latham(w/c), Muhammad Abbas, Dean Foxcroft, Josh Clarkson, Nathan Smith, Jayden Lennox, William O’Rourke, Ben Lister.