On their quest to conquer New Zealand, Bangladesh will lock horns with New Zealand in the first of three-match ODI series in Dunedin on Saturday (tomorrow). The match is scheduled to start at 4:00 am Bangladesh time. This will also be Bangladesh’s first match in a foreign land, post coronavirus period.
It will be a stern task for the Tigers to beat the in-form New Zealand team, who are a formidable side in their own soil. The New Zealand cricket team has proven to be invincible on home pitches of late. The last time the Black Caps suffered a defeat in a 50-over game at home was in February 2019 against India.
However, no one can rule out Tigers as they are also a daunting opponent for any team in the ODI format. If the team can perform collectively in every department of the game, then surely Tigers can script an upset. Regular kiwi skipper Kane Williamson and batsman Ross Taylor will miss Saturday’s match, which will be a huge boost for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh must believe they have some sort of a soft landing to begin with in their lofty series victory ambitions. The absence of the New Zealand stalwarts give Tigers an unexpected advantage, however, there should not be any complacency regarding that and everyone should play with their full potential if they are to beat the Kiwis.
Bangladesh went to New Zealand with seven specialist pacers in their 20-member squad for both ODIs and T20Is. Therefore, some of the young pacers like Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud could prove to be the x-factor for Bangladesh not only in Saturday’s match but also in the upcoming series.
This series is a part of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League, where Bangladesh have 100% winning record. The Kiwis are yet to play their first match in this new competition. Having reached the final of the previous two World Cups, New Zealand will look forward to continuing their good form in the 50-overs format and Bangladesh will be hoping to continue their good-run in the super league. All in all, it will be a fascinating encounter for everyone to witness.