Bangladesh's Batting Woes Unfold Against New Zealand's Counterattack

Bangladesh faced a batting disaster in their second innings against New Zealand, following the jubilation of taking five wickets for 46 runs from the Kiwis on the previous day. Despite raising hopes of seizing the lead, New Zealand managed to halt at a lead of 8 runs on the third day, having scored 180 in their first innings, thanks to Glenn Phillips' fifty.

SBS Desk

December 08, 2023

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Bangladesh's Batting Woes Unfold Against New Zealand's Counterattack

Entering the second day's play with an 8-run deficit, Bangladesh lost two top-order batsmen and posted only 38 runs. The last session of the third day was abandoned due to insufficient light, leaving Bangladesh trailing by 30 runs with Zakir Hasan unbeaten at 16 runs, while Muminul Haque is yet to open the run book.

Resuming on Friday at 12 noon, the third day's play started with Taijul Islam completing the remaining two balls of the previous day's over. The wet field, a result of continuous rain on the second day, delayed the game until after lunch. However, the playing conditions were challenging on the Mirpur wicket, known for uneven bounce and difficulty in traditional defensive techniques.

The third day witnessed an extended playtime, concluding at 5:15 PM, with a reduced tea break of 10 minutes between sessions. The match officials planned to play 74 overs on the third day, acknowledging the challenging wicket conditions.

Despite the adversity, New Zealand's batsmen opted for an aggressive approach, forming a significant partnership of 49 runs for the sixth wicket between Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips. Naeem Hasan broke this partnership by dismissing Mitchell in the tenth over of the day. Mitchell's departure came after Mehdi Hasan Miraj's successful review overturned a previous decision.

Naim removed Mitchell Santner in the following over, caught by Nazmul Hossain Shanta at slip for just 1 run. New Zealand's eighth-wicket pair, Phillips and Kyle Jamieson, showcased a resilient partnership, adding 55 runs in quick succession. Shariful Islam broke this partnership by dismissing Jamieson, who departed for 20 runs caught by Shahadat Hossain Dipur at slip.

Despite Southee-Phillips pairing contributing 28 runs for the ninth wicket, Phillips fell short of a century, dismissed by Shariful for an impressive 87 off 72 balls. The innings concluded at 180 runs in 37.1 overs, with Taijul and Miraj taking three wickets each, while Shariful and Naeem claimed two wickets each for Bangladesh.