New Zealand wins the toss, sends Bangladesh in to bat

In a crucial clash today, Bangladesh will battle it out with New Zealand in a high-stakes match, where a loss will send Bangladesh out of the Champions Trophy.

On the other hand, a win will keep their hopes alive for a spot in the semifinals.

After losing the toss, Bangladesh will be batting first in Rawalpindi. 

The team is looking to turn things around after their tough start to the tournament, and today’s match offers them an opportunity to bounce back.

In their previous match in Dubai against India, Bangladesh had three pacers and two spinners in the squad. 

However, there are some changes to the lineup for today’s match. Bangladesh is set to give Nahid Rana his debut in an ICC tournament, while experienced all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad has made his return to the squad.

New Zealand, on the other hand, started their tournament with a win against Pakistan, giving them an early advantage. 

Just like Bangladesh, they have also made two changes to their squad since their last game.

Looking back at past encounters, Bangladesh has struggled against New Zealand. In their 45 ODI meetings, Bangladesh has won only 11 times.

More worrying for the Tigers is their record in ICC events, where they’ve faced New Zealand 12 times and won just once. 

However, there is a silver lining—Bangladesh’s only win came in the 2017 Champions Trophy, which they’ll hope to draw inspiration from today.

That unforgettable victory came in Cardiff, where Bangladesh chased down a target of 265 runs set by New Zealand, achieving the target with five wickets in hand and 16 balls to spare. 

Four players from that match—Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Taskin Ahmed, and Mustafizur Rahman—will be part of today’s playing XI.

Bangladesh XI: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Jaker Ali, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mahmudullah Riyad, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman.
New Zealand XI: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.