Rawalpindi: A confident New Zealand side will be eager to seal their semifinal spot when they take on Bangladesh, who will be fighting for survival, in their Champions Trophy Group A match here on Monday.
The Black Caps started their campaign in dominant fashion, defeating hosts Pakistan by 60 runs. This emphatic victory placed them at the top of Group A with a healthy net run rate of 1.200. A win on Monday will put them within touching distance of a semifinal berth.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, suffered a six-wicket loss to India and currently sit third in the group with a net run rate of -0.408. They must secure a victory to stay in contention for the knockout stage.
New Zealand looked clinical in their opening match, and their recent triumph in the tri-series has further helped them adapt to the conditions in Pakistan.
However, they now face a selection dilemma with the potential return of Rachin Ravindra from a head injury.
In his absence, Devon Conway and Will Young opened the innings. Initially, Young was expected to make way for Ravindra, but the right-hander’s century against Pakistan has complicated the decision — in a positive way.
Moreover, Young has consistently proven his ability to handle spin bowling effectively. Dropping him would also disrupt the left-hand-right-hand combination at the top, which could be crucial for New Zealand’s batting strategy.
Meanwhile, Conway appears to be regaining his best form. Apart from this selection call, New Zealand look well-settled and are unlikely to make further changes to their playing XI.
Bangladesh, however, face an uphill task and must regroup quickly after their disappointing defeat against neighbours India.
The pressure will be on their top order to deliver, as their batting struggles were evident in the previous match.
If not for the 154-run sixth-wicket partnership between Jaker Ali and Towhid Hridoy, Bangladesh would have struggled to even reach 100.
Despite winning a crucial toss, the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side failed to capitalise on the advantage and got off to a poor start.
Their bowlers performed well but lacked the runs to defend.
Adding to their woes, sloppy fielding cost them valuable opportunities, and they will need a significant improvement in that area if they hope to challenge a quality side like New Zealand.
Bangladesh, however, can take inspiration from their previous Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand, where they knocked the Black Caps out of the tournament.
