New Zealand vs Bangladesh Prediction: New Zealand won more in head-to-head games

New Zealand and Bangladesh are going head to head in the 1st Match of One Day Series at University Oval, New Zealand on 16 Dec 2023. The hosts have won thrice more games in head te head cricket matches between the two sides. Who will win this game of cricket?

After a challenging period of playing matches in England and Bangladesh, New Zealand faced disappointment in the recent ODI World Cup. Now returning home, the Black Caps are determined to gain an early advantage in the upcoming series. The selectors have chosen a 13-man squad for the ODI series, which includes some notable absences such as Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner, and Tim Southee who have been rested. Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, and James Neesham are also unavailable for selection. Tom Latham will lead a relatively young squad and will be a key batsman for the team. He will have the support of Rachin Ravindra, who had an impressive World Cup debut in India. Other players in the top order include Tom Blundell, Will Young, and Finn Allen. Adam Milne will spearhead the pace attack alongside Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamison, and William O'Rourke. Mark Chapman is expected to contribute as an all-rounder, while Ish Sodhi will serve as the specialist spinner.

Finn Allen, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham (C), Tom Blundell (W), Mark Chapman, Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson/Will O’Rourke, Adam Milne, Jacob Duffy

Bangladesh achieved a significant Test victory against New Zealand in a recent home series. As they travel to New Zealand, the Tigers aim to cause more surprises. Bangladesh, like their hosts, is also dealing with injuries. Shakib Al-Hasan will not be able to join the tour due to a fractured finger. Likewise, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, and Mahmudullah are currently recovering from different injuries and are unavailable. Najmul Hossain Shanto will continue to captain the team, with Litton Das as his likely deputy. They will shoulder most of the responsibility for scoring. Although Soumya Sarkar has not played much international cricket recently, he has been included in the squad. Towhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan, and Mushfiqur Rahim will also be part of the batting lineup. Without Shakib, the role of Mehidy Hasan Miraz becomes even more crucial. Shoriful Islam has been in good form lately and will lead the seam attack alongside Tanzim Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud. However, Mustafizur Rahman's current form is a cause for concern. Rishad Hossain and Rakibul Hasan have been selected as specialist spinners in the squad and could make their ODI debut.

Tanzim Hasan, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Tawhid Hridoy, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (W), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam

The team that wins the toss will most likely choose to bowl first. The University Oval pitch is well-balanced, providing a fair contest between batsmen and bowlers. The seamers can generate good pace and bounce, and there is some swing early on in the match. Batsmen will need to handle the new ball well. Typically, the average first-inning score here is around 250. Spinners won't find much assistance from the pitch. The weather is expected to be cloudy with potential interruptions from showers. Despite Bangladesh's strong performance in their recent Test series at home, they will struggle to achieve the same success on the fast and hard pitches in New Zealand. However, New Zealand will be missing some key players and will need to perform well to overcome Bangladesh's challenge. It is advisable to place a bet on New Zealand to win.