Bangladesh opened their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign with a facile win over Afghanistan. Chasing a paltry target of 157 runs against the Afghans, Shakib Al Hasan & Co. did well to register a six-wicket win in 34.4 overs. But they looked clueless against England in the next match. After conceding 364/9, the Tigers managed only 227 in their debilitating 137-run defeat. Their next opponents are New Zealand, who beat England and the Netherlands rather comfortably. Shakib Al Hasan & Co. will need a positive performance if they are to make a game out of this match. (Scorecard | Preview | Streaming | Full Coverage)
The Kiwis thrashed England by nine wickets in the lung opener and then backed it up with a 99-run win over the Netherlands. Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner are looking in fine touch as Black Caps announced themselves as one of the favourites to win the tournament. On the contrary, Bangladesh, as admitted by coach Chandika Hathurusingha, are dealing with major batting concerns. After the England match, he said: "If you don't get a start, if you lose more than three wickets early in the Powerplay, you're not winning many matches. So definitely it's a concern."
Here's a look at the three key battles that might decide the outcome of this game:
Devon Conway Vs Mehidy Hasan Miraz
Kiwi opening batter Devon Conway is in prime form -- a century against England, followed by a handy innings of 32 against Netherlands. And he is just getting started with big games coming up. However, the southpaw was dismissed by Dutch spinner Roelof van der Merwe and signs are that his Achilles heel is spin. Bangladesh's Mehid Hasan Miraz is a wily customer. His duel with Conway could be a fascinating one especially if the latter decides to up the ante.
Daryl Mitchell Vs Shoriful Islam
Kiwi all-rounder Daryl Mitchell did not bat in the first game but did get an opportunity against the Netherlands. He slammed 48 off 47 balls to give the much-needed impetus. Bangladesh's Shoriful Islam did scalp three wickets in their defeat to England but the left-arm pacer will fancy his chances against Mitchell, who will look to pace up the innings in the middle overs.
Matt Henry Vs Litton Das
Kiwi fast bowler Matt Henry is one of the quickest in the world and he will be on a high after plucking three Dutch wickets. On his opposite end will be Bangladesh's Litton Das, who is known to have a liking to faster bowlers. This will be a mouth-watering contest in the New Zealand vs Bangladesh match.
