As the World Test Championship has been heavily publicised since its inauguration in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the ICC ODI Super League go under the radar.
As Bangladesh have completed their 14-day quarantine in New Zealand and have begun training for the first ODI in Dunedin on Saturday, they’ll be looking to spoil New Zealand’s first game in the ODI Super League.
Despite being second on the Super League table as of now, the Tigers will be heavy underdogs for the first ODI.
Compared to Bangladesh’s past two tours of New Zealand in 2016 and 2019, they enter Kiwi shores better prepared this time around.
With the compulsory two-week quarantine, it’s allowed the players to acclimatise to the seven-hour time difference between Bangladesh and New Zealand and now they have nearly two weeks of the team preparing together ahead of the first ODI.
The biggest obstacle for the Tigers is how they approach their batting against the new ball. In 2019, the Bangladesh top-three looked clueless during the three-match ODI series in NZ, with Soumya Sarkar (52 runs in three innings) scoring the most runs among the Bangladesh top three.
Knowing that New Zealand will chase for wickets with the new ball, it’s probably the best option that Bangladesh play it safe, looking to be 0/40 after the power play and then catch up in the latter overs with wickets in hand.
With Bangladesh having Tamim Iqbal as their new ODI skipper since Mashrafe Mortaza resigned, the onus will be on Iqbal to score runs with the bat and lead his boys from the front. Will he be ballsy enough to back his quicks and set attacking fields to put the Blackcaps under pressure during their batting innings?
(Credit: Nurunnaby Chowdhury (Hasive)
Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the ODI series, with Tom Latham to lead in Williamson’s absence. Colin De Grandhomme is ruled out of the series as well as he undergoes surgery and Daryl Mitchell has received a maiden ODI call-up with two more uncapped players in Devon Conway and Will Young.
The only questions the Black Caps have is whether Conway or Young will bat at three and whether Kyle Jamieson or Tim Southee is the third seamer in the XI come the first ODI.
With no Adam Milne or Lockie Ferguson in the New Zealand ODI squad, it makes their seam attack very one-dimensional. This makes their tactics risky, as there’s no real X-factor bowler who can take wickets in the middle overs and the Black Caps will be heavily reliant on wickets in the power play.
Even with no Kane Williamson, Lockie Ferguson and Colin De Grandhomme, the Blackcaps start as clear favourites. They’re not the type of team to underestimate their opponents, even as favourites, and you’d expect nothing less than a Black Caps win.
But they face a Bangladesh side who are better prepared for a tour of New Zealand compared to the past two tours they’ve had. With the first ODI a day game, the Dunedin pitch could possibly slow down in the second innings.
Predicted XIs
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Liton Das, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Al Amin Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Devon Conway, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (captain and wk), Darryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
Blackcaps still clear favourites but pressure will be on Guptill to fire with the bat
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Sensing blood in the water mate? There's still plenty of experience even without Ross and Kane, Arnab. We'll know more Sunday, no doubt...
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
And now Taylor ruled out of the first ODI with a hamstring tear. Bangladesh have to go hard at an inexperienced NZ top 4 now.
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
Personally, I just don’t see all four frontline seamers playing and Henry is too good of a bowler to be dropped in an ODI XI. Santner is a clever white ball bowler while it’ll be interesting to see if Jamieson plays and whether the IPL price tag will continue to affect his bowling. Death bowling is also an issue if Bangladesh have wickets in hand. Bar Boult, the rest aren’t that reliable in the final ten to deliver imo
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Pressure will be on Boult and Southee as if they don’t take wickets in the power play, it’ll take someone else to pick up breakthroughs in the middle overs, Mitchell, Neesham, Jamieson, Henry and Santner are likely to be these bowlers in this series Arnab. I was disappointed Sodhi wasn't considered considering his form in T20...
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
Second ODI is at Hagley Oval a day nighter and third odi at Basin Reserve a day game. I feel as if if spinners will truly come into the game, then it’ll be at Dunedin as the wicket there does tend to slow down a bit as the game progresses. Pressure will be on Boult and Southee as if they don’t take wickets in the power play, it’ll take someone else to pick up breakthroughs in the middle overs
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
When Bangladesh toured in 2019, it was one of the worst prepared tours. The Bangladesh Premier League final finished on a friday night and the first odi was on a Wednesday. No player can get used to the 7hr time difference so quickly and perform well in an odi. And then shakib pulled out of the tour the day he was meant to fly to nz. I felt our top three chased too many balls instead of allowing themselves to get set on grounds with short boundaries. Idc how ugly they look against the swing bowlers, the Bangladesh openers have to survive the powerplay and then will get the license to attack Santner/the other two medium pacers who'll fill the 5th bowling quota.
Paul
Roar Guru
There's no doubt the Black Caps will be favourites, but I wonder how much pitch and weather conditions will play a part? The pitches produced for the recent Australia T20 series really brought the spinners into the game and if the same happened in this series, Bangladesh could be very competitive. As you say though Arnab, the Black Caps have an attack that is so good at exploiting the new ball in the early overs. If the Tigers can bat conservatively but positively, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see them make some decent totals.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Vettori also says Bangladesh will be better prepared and backs the spinners to make a difference, especially Miraz. Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman have all demonstrated improvement in the pace department as well. Shakib is a loss though. Iqbal, Das, Rahim and Mahmadullah will be expected to carry the batting. As much as your point about the lack of pace from Milne and Ferguson resonates, I think the Bangladesh batsmen will have their hands full with the swing of Southee and Boult from both sides and the bounce generated by Jamieson with a heavy ball off a decent length. Williamson would be a big loss for any side. That said though, Guptill is coming back into form and Conway is making every post a winner in the short form too. The Black Caps will still bat reasonably deep with Jamieson and Santner likely 7 and 8. Latham is competent at the helm as well. The Black Caps are at home, will still have a decently balanced side and will be difficult to dislodge.