Tigers-Kiwis 1st ODI today

Sports Reporter :
Bangladesh Cricket team will take on New Zealand Cricket team in the first One Day International (ODI) match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in the city’s Mirpur today.

The Day/Night affair will start at 2.00pm (Bangladesh Standard Time).

Private satellite sports channel T Sports will telecast the match live from the arena.

Before today’s match, the Tigers and the Kiwis faced each other in 38 ODI matches. Of them, Bangladesh registered 10 victories, while New Zealand won in 28 occasions.

Bangladesh have come into the series on the back of an average performance in the recently concluded Asia Cup 2023.

Bangladesh reached the ‘Super Four’ stage of the tournament but failed to reach the final of the competition.

On the other hand, New Zealand have come into the series on the back of a series loss against England.

Bangladesh are the favourites of the match as they now-a-days showed satisfactory performance at home.

Specially Bangladesh used to perform comparatively better brand of cricket in their ODI mission.

Besides, this New Zealand Cricket team are not a full-strength squad.

Captain of Bangladesh ODI Cricket team Litton Das said, ” I have no exact idea about the wickets of SBNCS.

The pitch may act in favour of the both teams.”

It is noteworthy that dashing opener Tamim Iqbal and experienced all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad have been included in the 15-member Bangladesh ODI squad after Bangladesh’s Asia Cup campaign.

The wicketkeeper-batter said, ” It will be helpful for us as the two senior players (Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah Riyad) have been included in our squad.

After a long time, they have come to perform.

I don’t want to give them any pressure.

I need they enjoy the match.

If we lose our early wickets, Mahmudullah Riyad has ability to bring the match to a good position.

He is a matured cricketer.

Soumya Sarkar has also ability.

He can show a good performance in any position as a batter.”

He said, ” We were out of practice for some days.

It will be a mind game.

New Zealand have quality spinners.”

Coach of New Zealand Cricket team Luke Ronchi said, ” I think it will be a challenging series.

My boys want to expect challenging matches.

I hope the matches will be held in front of a good number of spectators at the galleries of this stadium.

My boys worked hard in their practice sessions before the match.”

Marking the upcoming three-match ODI series, the trophy-unveiling programme was held at the SBNCS on Thursday.

Captain of Bangladesh Cricket team Litton Das and Captain of New Zealand Cricket team Lockie Ferguson took part on the occasion.

The second and the third ODI will be held on September 23 and September 26 at the same venue.

Bangladesh squad (for 1st & 2nd ODIs): Litton Das (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Zakir Hasan, Rishad Hossain and Khaled Ahmed.

New Zealand squad: Lockie Ferguson (Captain), Finn Allen, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Chad Bowes, Dane Cleaver, Dean Foxcroft, Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner and Will Young.