Bangladesh’s Quest for a Historic Whitewash
After securing a dominant victory in the series opener, Bangladesh is set to aim for a historic whitewash in the T20I series against New Zealand. The third and final match of the series will take place on Saturday, May 1st, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. The second match of the series was washed out due to rain, leaving the hosts with a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Bangladesh’s Strong Start
Bangladesh made a brilliant start to the T20I series by defeating New Zealand by 6 wickets in the opening match. When batting first, New Zealand scored 182 for the loss of 6 wickets in their 20 overs. Rishad Hossain was the standout bowler, taking two wickets in his spell. Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hsan, and Mahedi Hasan each took one wicket. The Bangladeshi batters performed well in the run chase, with Towhid Hridoy leading the way with an unbeaten half-century, scoring 51* off 27 deliveries. Shamim Hossain also played a crucial role, contributing 31 runs off just 13 deliveries. This win gave Bangladesh an early 1-0 lead in the series.
New Zealand’s Challenges
With the second match being washed out, New Zealand finds themselves trailing 0-1 in the series. The visitors are playing with a third-string side, led by Nick Kelly, without any senior players. They suffered a loss in the series opener by 6 wickets. Although they started strongly with their batting, scoring 182 runs in their 20 overs, their bowling performance was disappointing. Katene Clarke and Dane Cleaver both scored half-centuries, with Clarke scoring 51 runs and Cleaver adding 51 as well. Skipper Nick Kelly also contributed with 39 runs. Ish Sodhi was the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets. New Zealand will be looking to bounce back in the second match and level the series.
Match Details
The third T20I match between Bangladesh and New Zealand will be held on Saturday, May 2, at 1:30 PM IST at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. The match will be available for live streaming on FanCode (app and website).
Pitch Report
The pitch at Mirpur has historically favored spinners due to its slow and sluggish nature, making batting challenging in the second innings. However, pace bowlers can benefit during the power play by extracting good movement. Batters will need to be cautious against the spin, but a good score is achievable after spending some time at the crease. The average first innings score at this venue is likely around 150.
Weather Report
The weather is expected to remain cloudy throughout the match, with a 60% chance of rain interrupting the game. The temperature will range between 28-30°C, with humidity around 78%, making it feel slightly warmer. There is also a slight chance of thunderstorms.
Head-to-Head Records
In the T20I series between Bangladesh and New Zealand, New Zealand has dominated with 15 wins compared to Bangladesh’s 5. There have been 2 tied matches and 2 no-results.
Probable Lineups
Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Towhid Hridoy, Parvez Hossain Emon, Litton Das (c/wk), Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Ripon Mondal, Shoriful Islam
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Katene Clarke, Dane Cleaver (wk), Nick Kelly (c), Bevon Jacobs, Dean Foxcroft, Josh Clarkson, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Matthew Fisher, Ben Lister
Players to Watch
Towhid Hridoy (Bangladesh): A prominent all-rounder for Bangladesh, Hridoy has been a key player in the team, especially on home pitches. In the series opener, he scored an unbeaten 51 off 27 deliveries. He has accumulated 1228 runs in 58 T20I matches.
Dane Cleaver (New Zealand): The 26-year-old batter played a fighting knock against Bangladesh in the opening match, scoring 51 runs off 37 balls. He has played 3 T20I matches and has scored 62 runs with one half-century.
Toss Prediction
Historically, teams that have won the toss at this venue have opted to bat in two out of the last three T20I matches. Batting first on this pitch offers advantages, as teams have had equal success in winning matches when batting first or second. However, recent trends suggest that batting first is preferable to maximize benefits.
Match Scenario
Scenario 1
Toss Winner: Bangladesh (opts to bat first)
Power-Play Score: 40-45
BAN Total: 155-160
Match Winner: Bangladesh
Scenario 2
Toss Winner: New Zealand (opts to bat first)
Power-Play Score: 40-42
NZ Total: 145-160
Match Winner: New Zealand
Who Will Win?
Bangladesh has been performing exceptionally well recently, especially at home. They have already won the ODI series and are now aiming for a series victory in the T20I series. With the momentum on their side after winning the series-opener, and considering the inexperience of the New Zealand side, Bangladesh is expected to come out on top. Based on previous performances, Bangladesh is the favorite to win this match.
