The two-match Bangladesh-New Zealand Test series will begin on January 1. This will be Bangladesh’s second series in the second cycle of the ICC Test Championship. Bangladesh’s Test team has been under pressure lately after losing a 2-0 home series against Pakistan. A less-experienced Bangladesh side has no realistic chance of making a strong comeback against New Zealand. However, batters can take inspiration from some of Bangladesh’s outstanding individual innings. Three of Bangladesh’s most inspiring innings against New Zealand are highlighted here.
Three Best Performances by Bangladesh Batters in Bangladesh-New Zealand Test Series
Over the years, Bangladesh batters have produced some excellent individual performances against New Zealand in the Test format. Take a look at the Tigers’ best three Test innings against the Blackcaps.
3) Mominul Haque (126*)
Match: Bangladesh vs New Zealand (2nd Test, 2013)
Venue: SBNCS, Mirpur
Result: draw
The opening match of the two-match series ended in a draw. As a result, the second match was important for both teams to win the series. Bangladesh chose to bat first and scored 282 runs in the first innings at SBNCS, Mirpur. New Zealand took a 155-run advantage after scoring 437 runs in their first innings. Bangladesh required a strong batting performance in the second innings in order to save the match.
Thankfully, Mominul Haque rose to the occasion and scored an unbeaten 126* run knock. The left-handed batter and opener Tamim Iqbal put on a crucial 157-run partnership to help Bangladesh take the lead in the third innings. Bangladesh ended day four with 269/3 on the board, a 114-run lead. However, the fifth day’s play was canceled owing to inclement weather. Bangladesh needed Mominul Haque’s superb knock to avoid a potential loss. He certainly saved the game with that knock.
2) Mushfiqur Rahim (159)
Match: New Zealand vs Bangladesh (1st Test, 2017)
Venue: Basin Reserve, Wellington
Result: New Zealand (7 wickets)
In 2017, Bangladesh faced New Zealand in Wellington in the opening Test of a two-match series. New Zealand chose to bat first in order to keep Bangladesh’s total small. However, Bangladesh batters shocked the host with a good middle-order batting effort, scoring a massive 595/8d in the first innings. Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan put on a record partnership of 359 runs for the fifth wicket after Bangladesh were reduced to 160/4. They carried it to 519 runs in the innings. Mushfiqur’s first-inning contribution with the bat was 159 runs in 260 balls.
A big hundred on a New Zealand surface was a genuinely spectacular feat. Bangladesh went on to lose by 7 wickets in the match. However, Mushfiqur Rahim and other Bangladesh batters should take inspiration from such performance in the upcoming Bangladesh-New Zealand Test series.
1) Shakib Al Hasan (217)
Match: New Zealand vs Bangladesh (1st Test, 2017)
Venue: Basin Reserve, Wellington
Result: New Zealand (7 wickets)
Bangladesh’s arguably best-ever player Shakib Al Hasan recorded the highest individual Test innings of 217 runs in the first innings in the 2017 Wellington Test against New Zealand. Shakib produced a 359-run partnership with Mushfiqur in the fifth wicket, ensuring a massive total in the first innings. Bangladesh scored 595/8 and was declared the innings.
However, they lost the match due to a poor second-inning batting performance. In that innings, Shakib was brilliant with the bat and wasn’t afraid to take on Kiwi pacers. Without a doubt, Shakib Al Hasan’s 217-run innings is one of the finest in Bangladesh cricket history, and it was a benchmark performance for future generations of cricketers.
Way Forward
Can Bangladesh make a strong impression against New Zealand in the Test format? Bangladesh’s recent performances in the longer format suggest that a victory over New Zealand is impossible. Furthermore, the Bangladesh team has yet to win a match in New Zealand in any format. So, team tigers have little chance against the Blackcaps in the Bangladesh-New Zealand Test series. Therefore, the expectation would be to play good cricket and extend each match to the fifth day. Batters must shoulder most of the burden in this regard, and they can take some inspiration from the three aforementioned individual knocks.
Source: United News of Bangladesh