BAN vs NZ 2026, BAN vs NZ 1st ODI Match Preview

Bangladesh’s probability to down NZ

Within the absence of the first-choice gamers, who’re away on the IPL or PSL, New Zealand have arrived in Bangladesh with one in every of their most inexperienced sides. For the primary ODI in Dhaka, the guests can be with out eight gamers who have been within the New Zealand XI within the third ODI towards India in January this yr.

New Zealand coach Rob Walter sees this Bangladesh tour as a possibility to show their fringe gamers to worldwide strain. Muhammad Abbas, Adi Ashok, Blair Tickner and Dean Foxcroft are amongst these fringe gamers. There’s additionally left-arm fingerspinner Jayden Lennox who impressed in his debut sequence in India. He can be anticipated to play a much bigger function in Bangladesh. Tom Latham, Will Younger and Henry Nicholls are the acquainted faces in a new-look facet.

Bangladesh, in the meantime, have a number of issues working of their favour, aside from enjoying at house. They defeated Pakistan 2-1 final month after preventing onerous within the decider. Tanzid Hasan, the opener, starred with the bat, whereas Nahid Rana and Taskin Ahmed made match-winning contributions too. They, nonetheless, have a middle-order drawback: Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Afif Hossain haven’t got function readability whereas Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy and Najmul Hossain Shanto are in want of considerable scores too.

Taskin, Rana and Mustafizur Rahman, although, present Bangladesh’s assault with a potent level of distinction. Rishad Hossain has additionally been efficient, including extra vaiety to Bangladesh’s assault together with his wristspin. How New Zealand sort out tempo, spin and warmth on Friday, can be a window into how the remainder of the white-ball tour goes for the guests.

Type information

Bangladesh WLWWL (accomplished matches, most up-to-date first)New Zealand WWLWW

Within the highlight: Najmul Hossain Shanto & Tom Latham

Najmul Hossain Shanto can be anticipated to deal with the latest slide in his ODI profession graph. His 992 runs in 2023 was the very best in a calendar yr by a Bangladesh batter in 17 years. He adopted it up by averaging 71.5 in 2024, however he has only a single half-century since 2025. Not too long ago, he made solely 54 runs in three innings towards Pakistan. Bangladesh see Shanto as a long-term chief, so the onus is on him to step up.

Tom Latham has an opportunity to regain his type in ODIs after an detached interval. He hasn’t reached a half-century for the reason that Champions Trophy, together with his high rating in his final 9 innings being an unbeaten 39 towards the West Indies in Napier. He missed the ODIs towards India earlier this yr, however now returns as captain of one other inexperienced line-up in Bangladesh. He has finished this momentary job towards the identical opponents earlier than, with an ODI revival this time within the offing.

Tom Latham’s sweeps might be a helpful scoring choice in Bangladesh•AFP/Getty Photos

Staff information: NZ set to ring within the modifications

Bangladesh may discipline the identical XI that beat Pakistan 2-1 within the ODI sequence final month. That may seemingly omit Mahidul Islam, Shoriful Islam and Tanvir Islam.

Bangladesh (possible): 1 Saif Hassan, 2 Tanzid Hasan, 3 Towhid Hridoy, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 5 Litton Das (wk), 6 Afif Hossain, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (c), 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Nahid Rana, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

New Zealand will make not less than eight modifications since their earlier ODI. If Latham retains wicket, they may have room for 3 seam-bowling allrounders in Josh Clarkson, Nathan Smith and Abbas

New Zealand (possible): 1 Henry Nicholls, 2 Will Younger, 3 Nick Kelly, 4 Dean Foxcroft, 5 Tom Latham (capt & wk), 6 Muhammad Abbas, 7 Josh Clarkson, 8 Nathan Smith, 9 Blair Tickner, 10 Will O’Rourke, 11 Jayden Lennox

Pitch and situations: Early begin, heatwave within the offing

There may be hypothesis across the house staff’s alternative of pitch on the Shere Bangla Nationwide Stadium: will or not it’s quicker and bouncier just like the Pakistan sequence in March, or the same old slow-and-low one? The 11am begin, with the heatwave round, may causedryness within the surfaces. There may be additionally forecast for a thunderstorm on Friday.

Stats and Trivia

New Zealand have not received the primary match of an ODI sequence in Bangladesh since 2004. They misplaced the corresponding matches in 2008, 2010 and 2013, whereas the 2023 opener was a washout.

Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz requires one other 209 runs to turn into the second Bangladeshi cricketer to achieve 2,000 runs to go together with 100-plus wickets in ODIs.

Rubel Hossain, who retired from worldwide cricket earlier this week, is the one bowler to take a hat-trick in ODIs between Bangladesh and New Zealand.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84

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