The inaugural One-Day International (ODI) encounter of the 2023 New Zealand tour of Bangladesh is set to take place on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.

The ICC ODI World Cup is swiftly approaching, with just a fortnight remaining, and teams worldwide are diligently assembling their finest squads for this prestigious tournament. New Zealand recently engaged in a four-match ODI series against England, which culminated in a 3-1 series loss. Presently, they find themselves embarking on a tour of Bangladesh, where they are slated to compete in three ODI encounters.

The playing conditions in Bangladesh closely resemble those in India, and it is anticipated that this series will serve as a crucial crucible for New Zealand in their quest to finalize their World Cup roster. Bangladesh boasts a respectable track record when competing on home turf, adding an intriguing dimension to this forthcoming series. Expect an exciting and closely contested battle.

Bangladesh’s performance in the Asia Cup left much to be desired. While they displayed strength in the group stage matches, their performance significantly waned in the top four matches. Despite securing a victory against India, their overall showing was not particularly impressive. In a bid to safeguard their key players from potential injuries, the Bangladesh management opted to rest senior players such as Taskin Ahmed, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Shakib Al-Hasan for this series.

Liton Das has assumed the role of captain in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan and will lead the team in the upcoming home series consisting of three ODIs against New Zealand. Encouragingly for Bangladesh fans, both Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah, who were absent during the Asia Cup, have returned to the squad. Soumya Sarkar has also made a comeback and is poised to open the batting alongside the uncapped Zakir Hasan, who is set to debut in this series. Towhid Hridoy and Mahedi Hasan will anchor the middle-order batting for Bangladesh, while Mushfiqur Rahman will spearhead the bowling unit, accompanied by Nasum Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Rishad Hossain, and Tanzim Hasan.

New Zealand initiated the ODI series against England on a victorious note, clinching the first match. However, their winning streak was short-lived as they experienced a setback, suffering three consecutive losses. Consequently, they ended up conceding the four-match series to England. For this tour of Bangladesh, New Zealand opted to rest their primary players, deploying a second-tier team. One notable inclusion is Dean Foxcroft, who showcased commendable performances in domestic cricket and has earned a spot in the squad. It is anticipated that Foxcroft will partner with Finn Allen as the opening pair.

Given the absence of key players, the responsibility of anchoring New Zealand’s batting order will likely fall to Tom Blundell, alongside Chad Bowes and Henry Nicholls. Will Young and Rachin Ravindra, who have recently displayed promising performances, are expected to make significant contributions during this series. Trent Boult takes the lead as New Zealand’s premier bowler in this lineup. He delivered an impressive performance in the recent series against England and will play a pivotal role in the absence of key bowlers. Unfortunately, Tim Southee, who sustained an injury during the England series, is not included in the squad for this upcoming series.

Bangladesh has participated in a total of 420 ODI matches, securing victory in 154 of them. They have faced defeat in 257 matches, while the outcome of 9 matches remains undecided.

New Zealand’s One Day International (ODI) history spans 809 matches. They have emerged victorious in 370 of these contests, experienced defeat in 391 matches, while 42 encounters concluded with no results. Additionally, they have been involved in 6 matches that ended in a tie.

In the 38 ODI encounters between Bangladesh and New Zealand, Bangladesh emerged victorious in 10 matches, while New Zealand secured victory in 28 matches.

According to cricket match predictions, Bangladesh is the favored team to win this match. The reasons why Bangladesh is considered the favorite in this contest are as follows:

• Bangladesh has a respectable track record when playing in their home conditions.
• Their recent victory over India has boosted their confidence and morale.
• New Zealand, having suffered a series loss to England, might be feeling the pressure to perform.
• While New Zealand is generally a stronger team, the specific conditions and circumstances of this match favor Bangladesh.
• Playing on their home ground with the support of the local crowd gives Bangladesh an advantage.

Bangladesh boasts a robust batting lineup and bowling unit in comparison to New Zealand, which has elevated their prospects of winning today’s match. Here’s the breakdown of the winning probabilities for both teams:

Bangladesh has a 52% chance of winning this match.
New Zealand has a 48% chance of winning this match.

The toss could prove pivotal in determining the outcome of this match. As per the toss prediction, the team winning the toss is likely to opt for batting first.

The inaugural One-Day International (ODI) encounter between Bangladesh and New Zealand is scheduled to take place at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. The pitch at this stadium is exceptionally conducive to batting, with short boundaries that are likely to benefit spinners. Anticipated to remain favorable for batting throughout the match, this pitch promises an exciting contest.

The weather outlook for the match day in Dhaka is promising. There is minimal to no precipitation expected, ensuring the likelihood of a full, uninterrupted match.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Litton Das(c), Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque(w), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed.

New Zealand: Finn Allen, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Chad Bowes, Tom Blundell(w), Rachin Ravindra, Dean Foxcroft, Lockie Ferguson(c), Adam Milne, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson.

• Date: Thursday, 21st September 2023
• Time: 08:00 AM GMT / 02:00 PM LOCAL / 01:30 PM IST

• Stadium: Shere Bangla National Stadium
• Situated in: Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Inaugurated: 2006
• Seating Capacity: 25,000
• Playing Ends: Ispahani End, Aqua Paints End
• Time Zone: UTC +06:00
• Multi-Sport Venue: Additionally, it serves as the home ground for football.
• Illumination: Equipped with Floodlights

• Total Matches Played: 127
• Matches Won Batting First: 58
• Matches Won Bowling First: 67
• Average 1st Innings Score: 223
• Average 2nd Innings Score: 192
• Highest Total Recorded: 370/4 (50 Overs) achieved by IND vs. BAN
• Lowest Total Recorded: 58/10 (17.4 Overs) during BAN vs. IND
• Highest Successful Chase: 330/4 (47.5 Overs) accomplished by IND vs. PAK
• Lowest Defended Total: 105/10 (25.3 Overs) defended by IND vs. BAN

Litton Das(C), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque(WK), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Zakir Hasan, Khaled Ahmed, Tanzid Hasan, Nurul Hasan.