Bangladesh’s biggest challenge in the tour of New Zealand will be facing the new ball, believes out of favor national wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan.
Bangladesh cricket team are currently on tour of New Zealand for three ODIs and as many T20s, set to be played later this month.
Nurul, who has played a solitary Test, two ODIs and three T20s in New Zealand till date, has long been out of national reckoning on grounds of team combination.
The right-handed middle-order batsman was part of the preliminary squad for the just-concluded home series against the West Indies and performed up to the mark in a three-day practice game against the tourists.
But luck did not favor Nurul and he is now busy preparing for the upcoming National Cricket League, the premium first-class cricket tournament of the country.
“It is tough to play against new ball in New Zealand. The batsmen will be able to score easily if they can survive the new ball and adapt to the conditions quickly. I made my Test and ODI debut in New Zealand. It is fun to bat against old ball there as it comes well to the bat because of the true bounce. But one has to work hard to score runs there,” said Nurul to the media in the sidelines of his individual practice session at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka Tuesday.
The 27-year old Nurul, who made his international debut in 2016 during Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand, believes the key to a good total will be the top-order not losing wickets early.
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“In any format you play it is going to be a tough task. It will be tough to get back to the game if we lose early wickets. The plan should be to have wickets in hand so that you can counter in the later part of the innings,” said Nurul.
Bangladesh thus far are yet to win a game in a bilateral series against New Zealand in New Zealand.
Bangladesh have played 26 international matches against the Kiwis across all formats and have never been victorious.
Bangladesh have played hosts New Zealand in nine Tests, 13 ODIs and four T20s so far.
Nurul however, strongly believes Bangladesh will break the jinx and pick up their maiden win in New Zealand.
Bangladesh cricket team, following the two-week quarantine in Christchurch, will have a five-day training camp in Queenstown.
The bilateral series is scheduled to begin later this month with the three-match ODI series.
The matches will be played on March 20, 23 and 26 in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington respectively, while the three T20s will take place on March 28, 30 and April 1 in Hamilton, Napier and Auckland respectively.
