Bangladesh vs New Zealand Highlights Champions Trophy : New Zealand’s Spectacular Win Against Bangladesh Launches Them into Semis Along With India.

BANGLADESH VS NEW ZEALAND , 6TH MATCH , ICC CHAMPION TROPHY : New Zealand’s Spectacular Win Against Bangladesh Launches Them into Semis Along With India.

New Zealand eased into the Champions Trophy semifinals with a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a Group A match here on Monday, a result that also ensured that reigning champions India progressed. The result saw the Bangladesh and hosts Pakistan, who have lost their both their two matches to date, knocked out of the tournament. Both, India and New Zealand have 4 points each after two wins thus far in Group A.Like this, two teams from each group advance to the semifinals.

New Zealand chased down the target of 237 with 23 deliveries to spare, and they had Rachin Ravindra (112) to thank for a superb century. New Zealand, in reply, were 240 for 5 in 46.1 overs, with Tom Latham and Devon Conway scoring 55 and 30 respectively. Earlier, Michael Bracewell claimed four wickets as Bangladesh were held to 236 for 9 by New Zealand, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scoring with 77. New Zealand’s Spectacular Win Against Bangladesh Launches Them into Semis Along With India.

TOSS-

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl .

TEAMS LINE UP-

BANGLADESH(PLAYING XI)-

Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman.

NEW ZEALAND(PLAYING XI)-

Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke

BANGLADESH-

Bangladesh’s openers had begun with intent after being asked to bat first, with a brisk stand of 45. Bangladesh’s intent was kept in check with regular strikes from New Zealand, on a Rawalpindi pitch that has a tradition of being high-scoring. It was the offspinner Michael Bracewell, leading the way on that front and setting the tone with 4-26 from an unchanged 10-over spell. Bracewell was the one to break the opening stand, having Tanzid Hasan miscue to midwicket.

The middle overs, however, was the bane for Bangladesh as they could neither up the ante, nor rein in the wicket-flow. Only skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto married intent with the runs. Shanto’s 77 was far and away the best through that time as the experienced campaigners from Bangladesh fell trying to up the run-rate. When Mehidy Hasan chipped Will O’Rourke to mid-on, Bracewell pierced the heart of the middle-order. Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah all perished trying and failing to hit big. As Bangladesh slumped to 118 for five, Bracwell smiled his way to career-best figures in the process.

Shanto, meanwhile, fought a lone battle until he fell to O’Rourke’s short ball after scoring 77. Ali Jaker (37) led the lower-order fightback again and Bangladesh had a much better finish, scoring at more than 6-an-over over the final 10. Ali and Rishad Hossain were vital in adding over 200 for Bangladesh, a total which would not be enough, though, in the face of-all-conquering Ravindra and Co.

NEW ZEALAND-

Bangladesh had briefly dented New Zealand early with Taskin Ahmed bowling the inwarding delivery that skittled Will Young and Nahid Rana having Kane Williamson tickle one behind. Bangladesh’s hopes were still alive with the odds of 15/2 but it was soon flattened by Ravindra.

He initially shared a steadying 57-run partnership with Devon Conway before he fell to Mustafizur. But Ravindra was never fazed – after scoring a brisk 2, he opened his account with a flick off the second delivery bowled to him by Rana that sent the ball roaring to the boundary. He also belted Taskin through the covers for two boundaries — an over that went some way in reversing the pressure that Bangladesh had managed to exert in the first few overs.

In the next over, Conway followed that with three boundaries off Rana that put the chase on course. He brought up his fifty with an imperious straight drive as he settled into a match-defining 129-run stand with Tom Latham. The latter, who had just scored a ton in the previous game, played a pivotal hand again as Ravindra teed off.

Latham was the patient partner, hitting just three fours in his 55, but his risk-free approach complemented Ravindra’s belligerence perfectly. Ravindra was dropped by Bangladesh on both sides of reaching his ton but by then he had virtually dashed Bangladesh’s hopes. He now tops Williamson atop the list of centurions for New Zealand in ICC ODI tournaments and ensured that there were no more hiccup even as both fell after New Zealand went past 200.

Brief Scores :

Bangladesh 236/9 in 50 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 77, Jaker Ali 45; Michael Bracwell 4-26) lost to New Zealand 240/5 in 46.1 overs (Rachin Ravindra 112, Tom Latham 55) by 5 wickets.