A frustrated Bangladesh national cricket team on tour of New Zealand reached Wellington Wednesday for the third and final ODI of the series.
Bangladesh will face hosts New Zealand in the third ODI at Basin Reserve Friday with the aim of avoiding a series whitewash.
Bangladesh travelled to New Zealand with the ambition of bettering their record on New Zealand soil against the Kiwis but as it happened, the tourists have been left frustrated.
After a poor show with the bat in the first ODI, Bangladesh came back strong in the second ODI Tuesday.
But as it transpired, the visiting side failed to defend 271 runs due to sloppy fielding and dropped catches at crucial moments of the game.
Bangladesh lost by five wickets and went down 2-0 in the series.
“This is not the first time we have lost a game (Tuesday) but the frustration is different. Probably because we had that rare chance of winning a game against New Zealand at their home,” said a Bangladesh top-order batsman requesting anonymity to Dhaka Tribune Tuesday.
New Zealand in the game were on the back foot, losing three wickets under 50 runs.
Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal blamed sluggish catching behind their defeat against New Zealand in the second ODI of the series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch Tuesday.
Posted by Sports Tribune on Wednesday, 24 March 2021
There was a partnership in progress by the hosts but that also got broken when Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal ended Devon Conway's stellar 72-run innings with a direct hit in the 34th over.
But as the chase narrowed down, visitors Bangladesh seemed to have the pressure get the better of them.
In the 36th over, pacer Taskin Ahmed almost got Bangladesh a breakthrough when James Neesham got a nick to wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim only to see a regular catch get spilled.
Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan soon after got Tom Latham chip one back to the bowler but he too failed to hold on to the crucial catch.
The dropped catches intensified the pressure, leading to fumbles on the field and easy runs for New Zealand.
“We had done everything right with the game when it came to bat and ball. But the fielding gave us up. The positives from the second game will surely help us in the last game. We totally understand catch drops are part of the business, it can happen to anyone any day and no one does it intentionally. But having lost the game has made everyone upset,” said the Bangladesh batsman.
The ODI series will be followed by a three-match T20 series.
The three T20s will take place on March 28, 30 and April 1 in Hamilton, Napier and Auckland respectively.
