FANTASY
Follow UsBangladesh will play host to New Zealand for the first time in a bilateral T20I when Tom Latham's side will face off the Tigers at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday. It will also be the Kiwis' first international match since the ICC World Test Championship in Southampton in late June. With most of the senior stars rested for the series, it will be interesting to see how they will face Mahmudullah's men in their backyard.
Head-to-head in T20Is
Overall: 10 | New Zealand: 10 | Bangladesh: 0
Ground Details and Team Combination
The Shere Bangla Stadium turned into a theatre for low-scoring thrillers in the previous series between Bangladesh and Australia. Over ten innings, only once did a team total cross 130 runs which indicate bowler-friendly conditions. Since 2018, pacers have picked up a total of 90 wickets at an average economy of 8.3, a slightly higher share to spinners' tally of 72 wickets. However, spinners have a better economy of 6.6, as it is usually the case in the sub-continent, and have bowled at a better average of 19.7 to pacers' 23.3. Left-arm spinners and pacers have been the most consistent, picking up 37 wickets each at average of 1.8 and 1.9 wickets per innings. Having an two left-arm spinners, a spin-bowling all-rounder and three pacers is the preferable bowling combination for the match.
Suggested Team
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your own team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Based on your preferences, the platform will guide you to create the ideal fantasy XI.
Captain Suggestion
Will Young may have played just three T20Is so far, but he is an experienced head in the shortest format having scoring 1703 runs in 72 matches at a strike rate of 137.4 for the Central Districts. The top-order batsman had also scored a 30-ball 53 consisting four sixes and two fours on his debut earlier this year which was against Bangladesh.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Young could score 34-50 runs in the match
X-Factor
Shakib al Hasan has been responsible for Bangladesh's famous victories over the years and the all-rounder is once again crucial in home conditions against an inexperienced New Zealand side on a pitch that aids left-arm spinners. He has claimed 32 T20I wickets from 24 innings at the Shere Bangla Stadium, his best tally at any international venue.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Shakib could score 14-22 runs and pick 2-3 wickets in the match
Nasum Ahmed had made his T20I debut against New Zealand earlier this year, but really hit the ground running in the recent series against Australia where he claimed eight wickets from five matches at an economy of 5.11 runs per over. Having the 26-old spinner alongside Shakib in the bowling line-up can put any opposition under pressure.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Nasum could pick 2-3 wickets in the match
Having played with the New Zealand reserves for quite some time, 21-year old Rachin Ravindra could prove to be a great addition in sub-continental conditions. Though he has been primarily a middle-order batsman, he can be quite useful with his left-arm spin which fetched him 20 wickets from 23 innings while playing in New Zealand's Domestic Twenty20 and Super Smash.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Ravindra could score 18-28 runs and pick 0-1 wickets in the match
Here are the top-10 picks as per Criclytics projected points –
Probable XIs:
Bangladesh XI :Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah(C), Nurul Hasan, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman (WK), Nasum Ahmed.
New Zealand XI :Tom Latham (C,WK), Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell, Ajaz Patel, Blair Tickner, Doug Bracewell, Hamish Bennett, Matt Henry.