BAN vs NZ Match Preview
Despite missing some of the key players including Shakib Al-Hasan, Bangladesh never really looked in trouble throughout the previous match. Mahmudul Hasan Joy started the first innings on a positive note, scoring 86 runs. He has now scored a half-century in each of his last two tests and will once again look to give the team a strong start alongside Zakir Hasan.
Stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto scored a brilliant century in the second innings, to help his team gain an unassailable lead. Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Mominul Haque all chipped in and are in good touch. It was however Taijul Islam who was the key for Bangladesh as he ended the match with a 10 wickets haul.
He will once again lead the spin attack alongside Mominul Haque and Nayeem Hasan. Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud are the two quality seamers on the squad.
There are some positives that New Zealand can take from the fi Test. Kane Williamson has been in sublime form since his return from the injury. After some good innings in the ODI World Cup, Williamson scored a century during the first innings, and will be the key batsman in New Zealand’s middle order.
Similarly, Daryl Mitchell was excellent with bat and was the lone player for the visitors to score a half-century in the 4th inning. However, more will be expected from the likes of Tom Latham, Devon Conway, and Henry Nicholls.
Coming to the bowling, Glenn Phillips and Ajaz Patel picked up 4-wicket hauls in the first and second innings respectively, and will once again play an important role on the subcontinental pitch. The seam attack consists of Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson.
The duo wasn’t able to take full advantage of the new ball and will hope to turn things around in this match.
Weather Report
There is a forecast for rain during the first couple of days, and the conditions will remain overcast. The skies should clear out by the weekend though.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the Shere Bangla Stadium is well-balanced. There is a good amount of pace and even bounce on offer during the first two days and the batsmen will be able to play their shots. The average first-inning score on this ground is around 340. However, as the days progress, the pitch gets drier and slower. Also, there will be some rough patches formed due to footmarks, which the spinners can exploit. Anything over 200 will be difficult to chase in the 4th inning.
Notable stats
Tim Southee: All-rounder?
Tim Southee struck 2 6s in his last outing, taking his total tally in Test cricket to 85. He is now 9th on the list of most Test match 6s, becoming the only bowler to enter the top 10 list.
Team News
There are no updates regarding injuries from either side.
BAN vs NZ Probable 11
BAN Playing 11
- Mahmudul Hasan Joy
- Zakir Hasan
- Najmul Hossain Shanto (C)
- Mushfiqur Rahim
- Mehidy Hasan Miraz
- Mominul Haque
- Shahadat Hossain
- Nurul Hasan (Wk)
- Nayeem Hasan
- Taijul Islam
- Shoriful Islam
NZ Playing 11
- Devon Conway
- Tom Latham
- Kane Williamson
- Tom Blundell (Wk)
- Henry Nicholls
- Daryl Mitchell
- Glenn Phillips
- Kyle Jamieson
- Ish Sodhi
- Ajaz Patel
- Tim Southee (C)
Dream11 Prediction
We are backing New Zealand to win this match. While they did lose the first game, they are still a quality side and we expect them to bounce back. Bangladesh’s record at the Shere Bangla Stadium isn’t the best, which will be nagging on the players’ minds. That said, the home team will put up a good resistance and we can expect an engaging contest.
Top Picks
Kane Williamson: Williamson scored a century in the first innings, which was the 29th of his Test career. He has a brilliant record against Bangladesh and averages 99.75 against them. He has scored 4 centuries and 4 half-centuries in his 10 innings against them.
Daryl Mitchell: Mitchell is a consistent batsman in the Test format. He has scored 1415 runs in his career at an average of 56.60, including 5 centuries and 9 half-centuries.
Taijul Islam: Taijul Islam has an excellent record at the Shere Bangla Stadium and has picked up 69 wickets in his 14 matches there. He has picked up 3 5-wicket hauls on this ground.
BAN vs NZ Dream11 Team 1
Keeper: T Latham
Batters: K Williamson (C), D Conway, N Hossain Shanto, M Haque
All-rounders: D Mitchell, M Hasan Miraz (VC), G Phillips
Bowlers: T Islam, T Southee, A Patel
