New Zealand’s captain, Mitchell Santner, won the coin toss prior to their Group A match against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy held on Monday, opting to field first.
A victory for New Zealand would secure a spot in the semifinals for both themselves and India, effectively eliminating Pakistan from the tournament.
The Pakistani team faced a disappointing defeat against their long-standing rivals India, losing by six wickets the day before, with Virat Kohli’s outstanding century playing a pivotal role in the Indian victory.
Since their arrival in Pakistan earlier this month, New Zealand has demonstrated solid performance, securing a win in the tri-nation series that included South Africa.
They further established their form by defeating Pakistan by a substantial margin of 60 runs in the tournament’s opening match in Karachi.
Rachin Ravindra, who sustained a forehead injury during the tri-nation series, made a comeback, while Daryl Mitchell was the player dropped to accommodate him in the lineup.
Additionally, fast bowler Kyle Jamieson made his tournament debut, stepping in for the injured Lockie Ferguson, replacing Nathan Smith in the squad.
On the other hand, Bangladesh approached the game with fond memories of the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, having previously achieved a notable 2-0 series victory against Pakistan in tests late last year.
However, their performance took a hit when they lost their opening match against India in Dubai last week.
Bangladesh’s Towhid Hridoy played a crucial role by scoring a century, rescuing the team from a vulnerable position of 35 for 5 during the power play against India, which prevented a complete collapse.
For this match, Bangladesh also made two modifications to their lineup, bringing in seasoned batter Mahmudullah and fast bowler Nahid Rana to replace Soumya Sarkar and Tanzim Hasan, respectively.
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**Lineups:**
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Tohwid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana.
New Zealand: Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
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