Bangladesh will be chasing a momentous series victory versus New Zealand, while their smarting hosts are determined to give Ross Taylor a fitting farewell in Test cricket in the second and final game at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch beginning on Sunday.
It’s also the first time Bangladesh play a Test match in Christchurch since the terror attack on two mosques in the city in March 2019, which had forced the then tour to be called off.
Bangladesh pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Test cricket recently when they beat the reigning world Test champions by eight wickets in the series opener in Mount Maunganui.
A draw will be enough for Mominul Haque’s team to become the first Bangladesh side to win a Test series in New Zealand. So confident are Bangladesh after their comprehensive win in the first Test that they don’t seem to be worried at all with the conditions.
“We are far more confident now as us pacers had bowled well and our batsmen too had performed in the previous Test,” pacer Ebadot Hossain, hero of Bangladesh’s first Test win, said.
“Even if we come across a green top, our bowling attack too has the ability now to take 20 wickets. We will bowl even better if it’s a green top because we’re well prepared.”
Head coach Russell Domingo knows what a series victory could potentially mean for his team.
“They will try and do what no other Bangladesh side has done before, and that is winning a series in New Zealand,” Domingo said.
“They’re very driven to try and achieve something really special that can inspire another generation of Bangladeshi cricketers.”
Bangladesh have struggled in the longest format, often due to a lack of quality fast bowlers. A series win in New Zealand could potentially fix that, believes Domingo.
“A big result here will do wonders for fast bowlers in Bangladesh,” he said. “If some of our fast bowlers can put in another fantastic display, we can develop a new generation of quicks.”
Bangladesh, though, will be without opener Mahmudul Hasan, who’s ruled out with a finger injury.
- Match starts: 3.30am IST, live on Amazon Prime Video
Written with agency inputs
