Bangladesh vs New Zealand match started at 2:00 pm on Friday 13 October 2023 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India. New Zealand won the toss and 1st elected to bat.
New Zealand wins its third straight game, but Williamson goes down injured
As New Zealand chased down 246 with ease, the captain struck 78 as he returned to international cricket.
New Zealand 248 for 2 (Conway 89*, Williamson 78, Mustafizur 1-36) beat Bangladesh 245 for 9 (Mushfiqur 66, Shakib 41*, Ferguson 3-49) by eight wickets
| Players | Runs |
|---|---|
| Conway | 89* |
| Williamson | 78 |
| Mustafizur | 1-36 |
| Players | Runs |
|---|---|
| Mushfiqur | 66 |
| Shakib | 41* |
| Ferguson | 3-49 |
Kane Williamson marked his comeback to international cricket in typical Kane Williamson fashion, crafting a meticulous 78 against Bangladesh. Guiding New Zealand towards an eventual eight-wicket triumph, he steered the team with finesse.
Bangladesh vs New Zealand Highlights
However, in the 39th over, Williamson, unfortunately, had to retire hurt, leaving the completion of the chase to his teammates. Daryl Mitchell took charge, ensuring New Zealand secured victory with a comfortable 43 balls to spare, solidifying the team’s commanding start in this World Cup.
After a seven-month hiatus from competitive cricket due to a right knee injury sustained during the previous IPL season, Williamson’s return to the World Cup seemed improbable initially.
Even when named as the captain of the New Zealand side, expectations were that he would miss the early stages of the competition. Surprisingly, not only did he make an earlier-than-expected comeback, but Williamson also showcased minimal decline in his performance, shifting through the gears adeptly against Bangladesh.
Kane Williamson showcased his batting prowess, hitting ten fours and a six in his 108-ball 78, though he had to exit the field due to cramps. Beyond his score, Williamson’s major impact lay in fostering two substantial partnerships.
Initially, he collaborated with Devon Conway, contributing 82 runs for the second wicket after an early setback. Later, teaming up with Mitchell, they amassed an impressive 108-run partnership for the third wicket. These partnerships significantly eased New Zealand’s chase, leading to a comfortable victory with ample balls to spare.
As New Zealand embarked on their 246-run pursuit, Bangladesh instilled hope in their fans when Mustafizur Rahman dismissed the in-form Rachin Ravindra, who was opening for the first time in ODIs, in the third over.
Mustafizur created another opportunity shortly after that, as Conway, batting at 4, played a risky shot, only for Mehidy Hasan Miraz to drop the chance at point. At the same time, a challenging dive, and securing that catch could have revitalized Bangladesh.
Following Conway’s fortunate escape, he unleashed two fours against Shoriful Islam, breaking free from the pressure. In the 10th over, Williamson showcased his class, dispatching Shoriful over point and through point and cover. Taskin faced a similar fate in the 13th over, conceding two fours before dropping Williamson at short midwicket when the Kiwi captain was on 27.
Despite Shakib breaking the second-wicket partnership by dismissing Conway for 45 off 59 balls, caught lbw in an attempted reverse sweep, it did little to hinder New Zealand’s progress. The next batsman, Mitchell, quickly accelerated the pace, maintaining the team’s momentum.
Mitchell made a bold entrance to his innings, smashing a six off Shakib, while Williamson mirrored the aggression by lifting his counterpart over long-on for his initial six. Over the next ten overs, Williamson consistently found the boundary, dispatching Shakib and Mehidy for four more boundaries.
Mitchell joined the onslaught with a fierce pull-off Taskin, followed by two consecutive sixes off Shakib and Taskin.
Even after Williamson retired hurt in the 39th over, Mitchell relentlessly attacked the Bangladesh bowling lineup until the chase concluded in the 43rd over. Mitchell’s unbeaten 67-ball 89 included six fours and four sixes.
In the earlier stages, when Williamson chose to field first, Bangladesh quickly succumbed to their familiar top-order troubles. Litton Das attempted a well-timed shot off the first ball from Trent Boult, only to find Matt Henry at fine-leg.
It was an ambitious shot attempted at a challenging angle, making Litton the second Bangladeshi opener to fall on the first ball of a World Cup match, the first being Hannan Sarkar against Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas in 2003.
Tanzid Hasan initiated a swift recovery with four boundaries in partnership with Mehidy, but the left-hander fell once again on 16. Tanzid’s dismissal was tame, clipping a ball to short square-leg in the eighth over.
In the 12th over, Mehidy pulled Lockie Ferguson into fine-leg’s hands for 30, marking a third soft dismissal. Despite striking three splendid cover drives in his 46-ball stay, Bangladesh once again placed him in a batting position that typically requires more time to adapt.
New Zealand further capitalized, reducing Bangladesh to 56 for 4 in the following over when part-timer Glenn Philips had in-form Najmul Hossain Shanto hitting to midwicket. Conway secured the catch with a tumbling effort, but Bangladesh found stability through their most experienced pair.
Shakib and Mushfiqur orchestrated a resilient partnership, accumulating 96 runs in nearly equal time against the New Zealand side. Mushfiqur swiftly showcased his intent by launching Glenn Philips for a six with his favored slog sweep.
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Adding two more boundaries, Mushfiqur’s onslaught continued as Shakib pulled Henry and smashed Mitchell Santner for a straight four. Bangladesh seemed on the path to recovery as Mushfiqur struck his second six over third man against Ferguson.
However, shortly after Mushfiqur reached his half-century, Shakib experienced cramps. After a brief medical intervention, the Bangladesh captain, undeterred, removed his helmet and proceeded to hit Ravindra for a straight four and a midwicket six.
Despite adding another six off Ferguson, Shakib’s attempt to slog the fast bowler resulted in his dismissal of the very next ball.
Mushfiqur followed suit shortly after, falling victim to a Henry delivery that kept exceptionally low. Despite the challenging circumstances, his innings were commendable, given his role in reviving Bangladesh’s innings.
Batting out of position at No. 7, Tohwid Hridoy struggled to make an impact. Consequently, the responsibility fell on Mahmudullah, who batted at No. 8 for the first time in 13 years, to ensure a respectable finish. Mahmudullah’s unbeaten 41 helped Bangladesh bat out the full 50 overs, but the team’s total remained subpar.
