Match facts
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Start time 7pm local time (0600 GMT)
Bangladesh will hope the low scores in the second and third ODIs were blips in Shakib Al Hasan’s batting © Getty Images
Big picture
The 0-3 defeat to New Zealand in the ODIs has taken some confidence away from the Bangladesh side but the visitors have a chance to salvage their tour in the three-match T20I series, which starts from Tuesday in Napier.
Bangladesh will bank on a settled line-up in the format, similar to their ODI team, and Mashrafe Mortaza will hope the side can avoid repeating the mistakes they made in the 50-over format. Their inability to build on a good start has become a recurrent problem. Tuesday’s match offers a chance for Bangladesh to address their weaknesses in batting and start anew.
Bangladesh have included Shuvagata Hom and Taijul Islam in the squad for the first T20. The visitors would also hope their continued belief in Soumya Sarkar pays off, given the batsman’s lack of runs for more than a year. Rubel Hossain, who did not play the ODIs, could also find a spot in the T20 line-up, having done well in the BPL recently.
The home side, meanwhile, have a strong line-up to pin Bangladesh. The uncapped batsman Tom Bruce, who has a strike rate of 156 in T20s, is expected to bolster the middle order with Corey Anderson and Colin Munro. New Zealand allrounder Ben Wheeler, who played six ODIs between June and August 2015, has been picked in the squad, along with Neil Broom, who was brought in as a replacement for the injured Martin Guptill.
Form guide
(completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LWWWW
Bangladesh LLLLW
In the spotlight
Two low scores don’t quite put pressure on Shakib Al Hasan but he will look to quickly regain consistency. As the team’s most experienced T20 player, Shakib will have a major role to play in reviving their performance in the three-match series.
Neil Broom‘s successful ODI comeback made him an automatic replacement for the injured Guptill. Broom scored his maiden hundred in the second ODI and nearly got another one in the third match. His fielding, too, could have an impact, given that he changed the course of the third ODI with his catching.
Team news
With Trent Boult rested for the first match, New Zealand could play both Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry. Henry hasn’t played in the format since January last year.
New Zealand (probable) 1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 Neil Broom, 3 Colin Munro, 4 Corey Anderson, 5 Tom Bruce, 6 Luke Ronchi (wk), 7 Jimmy Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Matt Henry
His prolific ODI comeback made Neil Broom an automatic choice to replace Martin Guptill in the T20I side © AFP
Like New Zealand, Bangladesh last played a T20 at the World T20 in March and are missing a few players from that squad. Mohammad Mithun and Al-Amin Hossain are not in the touring party while Mushfiqur Rahim is recovering from a hamstring injury. Taskin Ahmed and Imrul Kayes could take the place of Al-Amin and Mithun, while Mosaddek Hossain is likely to play ahead of Shuvagata Hom in the XI.
Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Mosaddek Hossain, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk) 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur Rahman
Pitch and conditions
Rain is forecast for Tuesday, though the weather is expected to clear in the evening. This will be the first T20 played at McLean Park and the first international match after three years. Usually, pace bowlers have had an advantage with the extra bounce and, on occasion, the wind.
Stats and trivia
- Tuesday’s will be Mashrafe Mortaza’s 50th T20I match, making him the fifth Bangladesh player to reach the landmark.
- McLean Park in Napier will become the sixth venue in New Zealand to host a T20 international.
Quotes
“We can clear boundaries here since they are not really that big. It is more important to make sure that we extend our innings after making a start.”
Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo