Bangladesh will be looking to seal the five-match T20I series against New Zealand as they prepare to take on the visitors in the fourth game at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday (Today).
The hosts are keen to get back into the winning ways against a spirited Kiwi side, who came back strongly in the third T20I to keep their hopes alive in the series following consecutive defeats in the opening two matches.
The Kiwis showed their ability to cope with the slow surface very quickly and it also raises a prospect of winning the ongoing series as well considering a win in today’s match will certainly bring back the momentum on their side.
Bangladesh started the series as clear favourites following their maiden series win over Australia by 4-1 margin and New Zealand’s not sending their main team for the series also increased the possibility of winning the series by a big margin.
Riding on the spirited performance of Ajaz Patel New Zealand managed to claim their first win of the series by defeating Bangladesh by 52 runs in the third T20I of the five-match series. Bangladesh outperformed New Zealand in the first two matches of the series where they thrashed Blackcaps by 7 wickets in the first game followed by a thrilling contest where The Tigers triumph by 4 runs. Now with series on the line, Tom Latham’s side will look to continue their momentum from the last game and level the series while Mahmudullah’s side will aim to clinch the series in the fourth T20I.
Bangladesh now need to lift their game to a great degree if they want to hit back in the winning ways and their batting will be in focus as they hardly came out blazing in any games.
The Tigers must realize that hitting in the gaps is more important than looking for boundaries given the slow, low and sharply spinning nature at the SBNS as the balls are not coming into the bat in the same way it does in sporting wicket.
“When you are chasing a score of 129, 130 and 140 – obviously it’s not a fast-scoring pitch. There won’t be a lot of boundaries, so the ability to rotate the strike, get a single, get a start, getting a rhythm going in the batting lineup, getting the run rate around six, ensuring that the required run-rate doesn’t get much higher,” Bangladesh batting coach Ashwell Prince said on Tuesday.
The former South African batsman insisted that adapting to the condition is also very important in this part of the world.
