The Bangladesh team started training two days before the end of the quarantine period. After two days of practice, they got the opportunity to play the first match today. Bangladesh went down to play against New Zealand XI at the second ground of Bay Oval in Mount Manganui.
The purpose of the preparation match, however, was not fully fulfilled. On the first day of the two-day match, all three sessions were played but only one session (28.3 overs) was played. The rain has taken away the rest. Before the rain, of course, the pacers of Bangladesh. New Zealand XI ended the day with 61 runs for 5 wickets.
Ibadat Hossain and Khaled Ahmed were not included in the squad for the last Test match today. Taskin Ahmed and Abu Zayed Chowdhury won the toss and elected to field. However, Bangladesh has shaken the New Zealand XI from the beginning.
There are only two well-known faces in the New Zealand XI — Devon Conway and Neil Wagner for the New Zealand wicket. Captain Conwell had to enter the field in the sixth over. In his third over, Abu Zayed made Luke Georgeson the catch of Mushfiqur Rahim. Conway, however, had to return to the dressing room after taking the wicket. Zayed took the wicket again with one ball break. Conway was caught by Liton Das.
Liton’s gloves came back to work in the next over. This time Jacob Cummins has returned with a catch off Taskin.
Jack Boyle and Mitchell Renwick have given some relief to the New Zealand XI, which went from 6 for 3 to 3 without a wicket. Shortly after the rain. After stopping the game in 9.2 overs, the team did not return to the field till the lunch break.
After Taskin and Abu Zaid, Shariful Islam and Shahidul Islam could not bring any success. Taskin had to return to break the 30-run partnership. Taskin returned Boyle who scored 20 runs. Rain again in the 26th over.
Abu Zayed returned Renwick (16) to the other end after the rain break. New Zealand XI lost the fifth wicket for 72 runs. Both of them made catches to Liton Das. Earlier, however, Jacob Bhula counter-attacked.
Bhula made 21 runs off 5 balls in 20 overs before the end of the day’s play in the rain. His teammate Mara Ave is unbeaten with 4 runs. Abu Zayed got 3 wickets for 26 runs, Taskin got 2 wickets for 26 runs.
