It will be a battle of the underdogs when New Zealand take on the Bangladesh in the opening group D matchup of the T20 World Cup in Pallekele on Friday. Both the teams aren’t fancied to go all the way but then these teams have the reputation of causing major upsets in the past and it will be a treat to watch as to which of these teams reign supreme in today’s match.
New Zealand came into the tournament with a win over India in Chennai in a T20 International match, however, they could not sustain the momentum as they lost both their warm up games for the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh did not get to play heavyweights ahead of the T20 World Cup as they played mostly against the Associates nations. They had mixed results and it will be their real test of character when they take on the Kiwis.
The teams will have fair idea of the conditions as some of the players have the experience of playing in the Sri Lankan Premier League.
Both these teams have quite a few impact players and they can very change the course of the match in a span of few overs. Let us have a look at few of the players who will be instrumental in the outcome of the match:
New Zealand:
Brendon McCullum: The wicket-keeper batsman is one of the best exponents when it comes to this format of the game. His 91 against India few days back shows how dangerous he is and his team will be counting on him. He already has scored nine fifties and a century in his international T20 career and also holds the distinction of being the hitting the highest number of sixes. He will open the innings and would want to get his team of to a flyer. He is definitely the man to watch out for in this match.
Ross Taylor: The skipper will have crucial role to play in the match. The conditions have aided the slower bowlers a lot and he is one of the best batsmen in the side who can counter spin very well. Taylor will be instrumental in the middle overs and if he can get going, things will get very difficult for Bangladesh.
Daniel Vettori: The most experienced player in the side, Daniel Vettori will have to bring all his experience into play to tame the lions. He is one of the most economical bowlers of the world and he hardly bowls any loose deliveries. Bangladesh will have to attack him right from the go, because if Vettori settles down, then he can create havoc.
Tim Southee: Southee has been in good form lately and his performance against India will give him the lot of confidence. Southee is a proven customer when it comes to this format and his match winning performances in IPL do make him a force to reckon to.
Bangladesh:
Tamim Iqbal: The aggressive left hander opening batsman will play a very key role in the match. He is known for fearless attitude and audacious stroke-making. He does not get intimidated by any bowler and his experience of playing in the SLPL will help a lot in the match.
Mohammad Ashraful: One of the senior players of the side, Ashraful is the heart of the Bangladesh middle order. His experience is what makes him so crucial in any match they play. He has played many match winning knocks for his team and can change the fate on any match within a span of few overs. He is very dangerous once he is in his flow and the Kiwis will be wary of that.
Shakib al Hassan: Shakib is Bangladesh’s man to go in the time of crisis. He is dangerous with both and ball and is one of the best all-rounders of the world. He has played in the SLPL and will know the conditions well. His skipper will want him to deliver with ball more than the bat and he will be looking to deliver on the expected lines.
By Indian Sports News Network
