Wednesday, 1 September will see New Zealand lock horns with Bangladesh in the first of a five-match T20 series.
Bangladesh
Mohammad Mahmudullah (captain), Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Liton Das (wicketkeeper), Mahedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan (wicketkeeper), Shakib Al Hasan, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Aminul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Mohammad Naim, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin and Soumya Sarkar.
New Zealand
Tom Latham (captain, wicketkeeper), Finn Allen, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (wicketkeeper), Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole McConchie, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Blair Tickner and Will Young.
With many of New Zealand’s first-choice players rested for this tour, Bangladesh start as heavy favourites with only Tamim Iqbal absent from the side due to injury. But New Zealand have a few exciting players, even with Finn Allen likely to miss the majority of the series after testing positive to COVID-19.
These are my key players for both sides of the series.
New Zealand’s key players
Tom Latham
Skipper for this series, Latham will be playing his first international T20 match since November 2017 and his first T20 game since January 2019. But the wickets in Dhaka suit Latham’s style of play. Having played over 170 combined international games for the Black Caps, Latham brings plenty of experience in an inexperienced squad. Pitches in Dhaka require a degree of Test match-style batting, and that will be Latham’s role with the bat. If Latham gets the Black Caps up and running with the bat, it will go a long way towards New Zealand winning against Bangladesh.
Henry Nicholls
Just like Latham, Nicholls will need to use his Test match batting temperament to ensure the Black Caps middle order is not exposed to the Bangladesh spinners too early in the innings. One of the senior players on the tour, Nicholls will have to lead with the bat to give New Zealand their best chance of winning a few games and possibly the series. With a Test century in the UAE to his name, Nicholls has it in him to play the spinners well on slower decks compared to the faster tracks in New Zealand.
Ajaz Patel
With Mitch Santner, Todd Astle and Ish Sodhi missing the T20 series against Bangladesh, Ajaz Patel has a great chance to put his hand up to become a permanent member in New Zealand’s white-ball squad. He is a very good spinner and can cause Bangladesh’s batsmen trouble with his stump-to-stump bowling. If Bangladesh can nullify Ajaz Patel, they will score more than 145 with the bat.
(Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images)
Bangladesh’s key players
Shakib Al Hasan
Does the man need any introduction in this day and age? I have said it many times over: Shakib is the best left-arm finger spinner in T20 cricket. With success all over the globe in T20 competitions, Shakib brings a wealth of experience to every T20 team. All New Zealand can do is similar to most NRL players when facing Tom Trbojevic: pray and hope that he has an off day. If Shakib is on song with bat and ball, there is a high chance of a Banglawash.
Mushfiqur Rahim
Mushfiqur Rahim is back, and in these conditions he is a big plus for Bangladesh. The best player of spin in Bangladesh who rotates the strike well, Mushfiqur is the big fish in the Bangladesh T20 line-up on slower surfaces. Mushfiqur will look to bat long throughout the innings, playing risk-free cricket before teeing off at the death.
Mustafizur Rahman
The Fizz is reaping the rewards of the grind he has done with bowling coach Ottis Gibson to get back to his pre-2017 form. He was almost unplayable against Australia. However, New Zealand will be better prepared against him for this series. But Mustafizur has a five-wicket haul against New Zealand in T20 cricket and will be a deadly bowler in Dhaka. The Black Caps cannot allow Mustafizur to settle and take calculated risks against him to put Bangladesh on the back foot.
Bangladesh vs New Zealand is a series I always look forward to. There have been plenty of bilateral series between the two sides since 2010. Hamish Bennett is the lone survivor from the Black Caps squad who was part of the New Zealand team that lost 4-0 against Bangladesh in 2010. With a weakened New Zealand squad touring Bangladesh, the Tigers will be eyeing their first T20 series victory against New Zealand.
While New Zealand will pose a bigger threat than the Australian squad that toured a few weeks ago, Bangladesh should end up winning this series. With Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim back for Bangladesh, the home side should be posting 140-plus with the bat and winning some games quite comfortably.
My series scoreline prediction? Bangladesh to win 4-1.
Targa
Roar Rookie
NZ all out for 60 in the 1st T20! Well bowled Bangladesh
Tigerbill44
Roar Guru
Right now, I am at gazipur, some 30 km north of Dhaka. It's pouring here, so I presume the weather in Dhaka isn't great either. The first match in serious doubts.
Targa
Roar Rookie
In terms of T20 he can definitely bowl 2 overs and possibly 4 if going well. He’ll learn a lot just from watching Shakib.
Targa
Roar Rookie
He's a decent bowler. Probably no worse than Santner as a test bowling option (and should get better) and is a quality batsman. Did really well with the ball in the U19 World Cup a few years ago. If Ravindra and Glenn Phillips keep working on their spin bowling both could be incredibly useful players.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Couldn't give you a definite on the last regarding Ravindra mate. However his domestic coach believes he will be an batting all rounder but a useful tweaker too.
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
Yep even without Tamim Bangladesh are a strong white ball side at home. Rumours and reports that the pitch tonight will be very similar to the ones used vs Australia. That could backfire with Latham and Nicholls in the NZ lineup. Ravindra an interesting one. Do the New Zealand selectors view him as a genuine all rounder or a batsman who can bowl off spin?
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Gidday Arnab. Decent read thanks. After Australia were well beaten I cannot really see a much different result with such an inexperienced squad. I'm excited to see Ravindra and Sears getting a go but this is a pretty strong Bangladesh who are difficult to roll at home. Reports over hear reckon equaling Australia's result will be the bar; with respect to Australia, that's a low expectation which I hope they bludgeon...
Targa
Roar Rookie
Not sure about Rippon's eligibility. In this covid world they picked Matt Henry to replace Finn Allen because he had the paperwork to get a guaranteed managed isolation quarantine spot on return to NZ.
TimO
Roar Rookie
Is Rippon eligible yet? I thought Munroe might have got a recall for this tour, especially when Finn Allen needed replacing.
Bobbo7
Guest
I reckon NZ will win this series. There are some solid players in the B squad. Enough class to put a score up and they'll play smarter cricket than Australia did over there.
Targa
Roar Rookie
If Ravindra plays well in Bangladesh and then Pakistan (probably opening) I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a test debut as a no 6 and part-time spinner in India in November. Williamson did likewise in 2010 before moving to no 3 in 2011 or 2012.
Mitchell
Guest
Why would most care?
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
I’ve been hearing a lot about Sears. With the Wellington coach in charge, I’d expect Sears to make his debut tomorrow. Bit surprised Rippon isn’t in the squad but still an exciting squad for the Blackcaps nonetheless. Ravindra and McConchie like you mentioned are two players who would want to make a name for themselves this series.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I hope you get a few interested but NZ v Bangladesh cricket on an Australian sport site is asking a lot
Targa
Roar Rookie
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Targa
Roar Rookie
Am really looking forward to seeing how Rachin Ravindra, Cole McConchie, and Ben Sears go on debut and seeing Will Young against quality spin. Am more interested in this series than the Rugby Championship tbh.