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ICC World Cup 2019

Brave Tigers Go Down Fighting

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Update: 2019-06-06 09:50:10
Brave Tigers Go Down Fighting Collected photo.

ICC WorldCup 2019 Match 9

New Zealand Vs Bangladesh Played at Kensington Oval on 5 June 2019

Brief Score Card: New Zealand 248/8 in 47.1 overs (LPRL Taylor 82, KS Williamson 40, JDS Neesham 25, MJ Guptil 25, C Munero 24, Mosaddek 2/33, Saifuddin 2/41, Shakib 2/47 and Miraz 2/47) beat Bangladesh 244 All Outin 49.2 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 64, Mohammad Saifuddin 29, Mohammad Mithun 26, Soumya Sarkar 25, Tamim Iqbal 24, MJ Henry 4/47, TA Boult 2/44) by 2 wickets

Player of the Match: LPRL Taylor 

DHAKA: Bangladesh perhaps scored 25-30 runs less while batting first and setting a target for New Zealand, but whatever they got 244 to be exact fought doggedly stretching Kiwis to their limits. New Zealand got across but not the way that expected. At one stage two veterans Williamson and Taylor were cruising, self believing fought back creating great excitement, Miraz, Mosaddek and Saifuddin brought Bangladesh strongly in the match. Miraz removed a well set Williamson and did not let Latham staying at the wicket with a double strike in one over. 

Mosaddek sending back Taylor had adrenaline flowing in Bangladesh camp. He also took the wicket of Neesham. Saifuddin made further inroads showing Grandhomme and Henry the walkway to dug out. Suddenly people were biting nails and scratching their head. But ultimately it was proved what I wrote at the introduction. Bangladesh scoring 270 could create better contest. Bangladesh also missed Rubel at this stage. Nervy New Zealand scrapped through winning the tight contest by two wickets. Victory was in sight but waved past hiving Tigers the flavor. The green and blue ocean in Oval terrace had many waves but could not strike the shore.

Lot was talked about rain and match interruption leading to the match. But that did not happen. There was cloud cover and a bit cold in the day night encounter at Kensington Oval. Williamson winning the toss put Bangladesh into bat on a green top wicket. There were apprehensions of Bangladesh batting crumbling on the green top surface under cloud cover to top quality Kiwi pace attack featuring Henry, Boult, Ferguson, Neesham and Grandhomme. But that did not exactly happen. Soumya was looking good, Tamim started finding his feet. 45 runs were scored by the 9th over when brain freezing of Soumya (25) caused him losing his furniture to straight ball of Henry. If Soumya stayed a little longer matters could be lot different. 

Inform Shakib joined his mate Tamim. He was looking sublime, striking the ball with supreme confidence. But Bangladesh lost the initiative as Tamim (24) was soon removed by Ferguson. We are not sure why Tamim is not at his fluent best. Is the Christchurch horror still haunting him? He looks a bit confused with his foot works. Fans expected another match winning foundation between Shakib and Mushfiq. It was developing. But a terrible mix up after the pair put up a 50 runs third wicket partnership hurt Bangladesh. Mushfiq ran himself out. 

Shakib and Mithun were rebuilding the innings aptly. Shakib got his fifty and was looking good for a bigger innings. But again he failed converting his good innings to match wining innings. On such a wicket Bangladesh getting in should dig dip and let others bat around. Grandhomme removed Shakib making Bangladesh 4/151. Shakib scored back to back fifty. Mahmudullah and Mosaddek could not repeat their batting partnership they treated the green and red syndicate. Kiwis kept on taking regular wickets. 244 all out in 49.2 overs appeared at least 25-30 runs short of what could be a fighting score. 
Several batsmen, Saifuddin (29), Mithun (26) and Mahmudullah (20) but could not keep tweeting. Henry was the wrecker in chief with 4/47, Boult with 2/44 gave him admirable support. 

New Zealand started aggressively with Guptill and Munero in full flow. Mashrafe was looking innocuous and Mehidy kept probing. It was Shakib the number one ODI all rounder drawing early blows. He removed Guptil (25) and Munero (26) before they could cause great damage within first power play. Two top dogs of New Zealand batting Williamson and Taylor sewed up a great third wicket partnership calming the nerves of the Kiwis camp. Some experts in the commentary box were telling whether Kiwis should look at the run rate. Perhaps Williams was going for that also. The pair put on 105 for the third wicket as Kiwis were looked like cruising. 

Miraz was probing at teasing line. Striking double blow in one over, he accounted for Williamson (40) and Latham (0). Bangladesh started dreaming. Panic started creeping in the Kiwis camp when well set Taylor (80) was also allured to a catch in the deep in the 39th over. Bangladesh tightened the grip further Grandhomme snapped up by Mushfiq to a short lifting Saifuddin delivery. Kiwis were 6/218 at that stage in the 43rd over. Mosaddek turned it to 7/218 removing Neesham. Mashrafe made a tactical error. Instead him coming on a second spell he could let Mustafiz bowl his quota. Rubel’s death over skills were also missing.  Henry could be cleaned up by Saifuddin. But it was too late. New Zealand scrapped home winning by two wickets. Bangladesh went down. Mosaddek (2/33), Saifuddin (2/41) Shakib (2.47) and Miraz (2/47) almost took Tigers to the desired destination.

Bangladesh went down fighting. It is not end of life. There is still enough matches and time in the tournament to redeem. This match should give Bangladesh some lesson. Mashrafe is struggling with his length and line a bit. Should not Rubel be replacing him in the all important next match against England? One must not forget Rubel of Adelaide 2015. I think Liton should also replace TAMIM for a match or two for his prolific form with the bat. Bangladesh must have horses for the courses. Right players must be there against specific opposition in right conditions. Circumstances alter cases.

HOPE TEAM THINK WOULD REALISE THAT TEAM INTEREST MUST BE KEPT ABOVE INDIVIDUAL EGO.

BDST: 0949 HRS, JUN 6, 2019
SI

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