3rd T20I Preview: Bangladesh eye another series win, NZ in pursuit of resurgence

New Zealand certainly got something to cheer about when they finally got some runs in the second T20I in Dhaka but in the end, it wasn’t really enough to help them equalise the five-match series on this tour of Bangladesh.

The visitors missed out on what could have been a satisfactory win in this second clash. 

Batting first, Bangladesh were off to a steady start as the openers Naim and Liton Das, who had failed in the first game got back among runs and stitched a stand of 59 runs for the first wicket. 

The New Zealand bowlers though got themselves back in the hunt and picked up some wickets at regular intervals to reduce the hosts to 109/5. But, Mahmudullah and Nurul Hasan made sure that the hosts reached a defendable total. Bangladesh eventually managed to put 141/6 in the allotted 20 overs. 

On some other day and on a different track, this target would have been an easy task but not on that pitch and especially after the way the Kiwis had fared with the bat in the first clash of the series.

In fact, they didn’t really have a great start to the proceedings in the second match as well after once again spinners did the trick for them and scalped some early wickets during the course. 

While Latham held the fort from one end, he didn’t really find much support from the other and the Blackcaps lost the second match of the series on the trot.

However, the visitors did have some positives to take away from their last outing and that was not surrendering on a strip that didn’t really have anything on offer for the batting unit. 

Match Details

Match: BAN vs NZ, 3rd T20I, New Zealand tour of Bangladesh, 2021

Date: Sunday, September 05, 2021

Time: 3:30 PM

Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka

Telecast: FanCode App

Pitch Report

The pitches in Dhaka have been happy-hunting for the spinners and the trend is likely to continue in the third T20I of the series as well. Like the first two games of the series and the series against Australia before the ongoing series against New Zealand, the spinners are likely to call the hots in the third series and the team that will handle spinners better will come on top.

Team News

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh openers who failed to leave a mark in the first match gave a solid start to the team in the second. The spinners have been in good form for the hosts while Mustafizur Rahman went for some runs in the second match but is still an integral part of this setup. The left-arm bowler’s ability to bowl slow, back of the hand deliveries have become a highlight in the recent past and he has been getting wickets as well. 

New Zealand

Finn Allen and Matt Henry will be available for selection in this match. Henry had come into the side as Allen’s replacement initially. Allen had tested positive for Covid-19 upon his arrival in Dhaka earlier which subsequently forced the management to call Henry. 

But the right-handed batsman later returned two negative tests. The visitors are likely to tweak the final XI for this game. 

Probable XI

Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (capt), Nurul Hasan (wk), Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed

New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, Tom Latham (capt & wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Cole McConchie, Doug Bracewell, Ajaz Patel, Hamish Bennett, Matt Henry

Fantasy XI

Nurul-Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tom Latham, Liton Das, Will Young, Mahedi Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Rachin Ravindra (VC), Cole McConchi, Mustafizur Rahman, Ajaz Patel