Tigers-Kiwis 2nd Test match begins today

Sports Reporter :
After defeating New Zealand Cricket team by 150 runs in the first Test at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on December 2, motivated Bangladesh Cricket team will take on New Zealand Cricket team in the second Test match, which will begin today at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the capital’s Mirpur.

The game will start at 9.30am (Bangladesh Standard Time). Private satellite sports channel T Sports and private satellite channel GTV will telecast the match live from the arena.

Before the second Test match between the Tigers and the Kiwis, Bangladesh and New Zealand faced each other in 18 Test matches.

Of them, Bangladesh won two Test matches, while New Zealand recorded 13 victories and rest of the three matches ended in draws.

Bangladesh Cricket team presented a better brand of cricket against New Zealand in the Sylhet Test and registered an easy victory, which they deserved it.

Specially, Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 86 runs in the first innings and notched up a sparkle century in the second innings. He made 105 in the second innings.

Besides, Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam captured altogether 10 wickets in the Sylhet Test against New Zealand and was adjudged the Man of the Match.

Bangladesh won over Zimbabwe 3-0 in 2014 in a three-match Test series at Mirpur, the Tigers defeated West Indies 2-0 in 2018 in a two-Test series at Mirpur.

If Bangladesh beat New Zealand in the second Test match at Mirpur, Bangladesh can earn three whitewashes against a Test team in this venue.

Bangladesh achieved win in the eight Test matches out of 15 Test matches in this venue in the last 15 Test matches. Bangladesh lost six Test matches against their opponents and made a draw in a Test match.

Before the Mirpur Test, Head Coach of Bangladesh Cricket team Chandika Hathurusingha commented about the pitch of Mirpur.

He said, “It is a tough task to read the action of the pitch of Mirpur. I think there is no ground in the world which hosts so many matches like Mirpur.

We shall try to make a few changes in our squad. It depends the pitch and also it will depend our strength.”

Hathurusingha is very much impressed after watching the performance of Najmul Hossain Shanto in the Sylhet Test. Hathurusingha said, “There is a totally difference between captaincy and leadership. Shanto’s captaincy was outstanding.

He was technically perfect. In the Sylhet match, he became advance in his own initiative. He showed appropriate performance to make a fine fielding activity.”

He said, ” Shanto’s leadership was wonderful. He earned his appropriate respect. He also achieved a perfect response in that Test.

I think he has a long time future. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) decided to elect him as the Captain of the team. The BCB will take its decision in perfect time.”

Bangladesh Test squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Khaled Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Shahadat Hossain and Hasan Murad.

New Zealand Test squad: Tim Southee (Captain), Tom Blundell (Wicketkeeper), Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Kane Williamson, Will Young and Neil Wagner.