New Zealand vs Bangladesh Prediction: Second game was washed out

New Zealand and Bangladesh are going head to head in the 3rd Match of the T20 Series at Bay Oval, New Zealand on 31 Dec 2023. This is a do-or-die game for the Blackcaps after the second game was washed out and Bangladesh has a 1-0 lead. Who will win this game of cricket?

In the first T20I, New Zealand suffered a loss but then bounced back in the second match. Unfortunately, rain at the Bay Oval prevented the match from reaching a conclusion. As a result, the hosts can only hope to draw the series against a visiting team that is ranked lower than them in the International Cricket Council's T20I rankings.

There is a possibility that New Zealand will stick with the same line-up, giving Tim Seifert the chance to build on the momentum he gained from his impressive innings of 43 in the previous match. However, Finn Allen, who is Seifert's opening partner, is struggling after facing continuous failures in this series.

Both New Zealand and Bangladesh are using this series as preparation for next year's T20 World Cup. It is an opportunity for them to try out different combinations of players and tactics that will be crucial for winning the world title, especially since the tournament will be held in the West Indies and the United States of America.

Due to injuries, New Zealand is missing some of their key bowlers in this series. This provides an opportunity for Ben Sears to showcase his talents once again, and if successful, he could earn consistent selection in the T20I squad, if not in the playing XI. Similarly, Adam Milne, who has more experience than Sears, also has the chance to prove himself.

Daryl Mitchell, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (Wk), James Neesham, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner (C), Adam Milne, Ben Sears.

Bangladesh is presented with a unique opportunity to secure a series victory in New Zealand, in unfamiliar conditions away from home. They displayed a strong performance both with the bat and ball in the first match, and continued to show promise with their bowling in the second game. This is their moment to complete the task they are capable of.

Litton Das and Soumya Sarkar will once again play a crucial role in Bangladesh's batting lineup. In the absence of Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan, Das and Sarkar will shoulder the responsibility of scoring the majority of the team's runs if other players are unable to contribute. Das was the top scorer with 42 runs in the series opener.

Shoriful Islam has been exceptional in the Bangladesh bowling attack, having taken four wickets in this series. He is currently one of the finest left-arm seamers in T20I cricket worldwide. New Zealand's batsmen have struggled against his unique angles and pace.

Spin bowling could once again prove to be crucial for Bangladesh's success. Mahedi Hasan, who was named the player of the match in the opening fixture, performed well under challenging conditions in Napier. In Mount Maunganui, he will have another opportunity to exploit the additional bounce and turn present in the pitch.

Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das (Wk), Afif Hossain, Rony Talukdar, Towhid Hridoy, Shoriful Islam, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman.

The match will take place at the Bay Oval, which previously hosted the second match as well. In the previous match, Bangladesh won the toss and chose to field due to the possibility of rain. Their decision was impacted by the desire to chase a revised target if necessary. It is worth noting that no team has ever won a T20I match at this venue while batting second.

In the last three T20I matches played here, the first innings totals have been 238, 191, and 263. Therefore, a team batting first and scoring 170 or higher can consider their total as competitive. It is likely that both teams will include at least two specialist spinners in their line-up. Additionally, there is a possibility of rain affecting the match in Mount Maunganui on the day of the match, which may result in a shorter fixture.

Despite New Zealand's advantage of playing on their home ground and their superior record, Bangladesh is in a stronger position to win. They have the momentum from their victory in the series opener and possess a well-balanced bowling attack that can challenge New Zealand's struggling batting department. Considering these factors, it is suggested to bet on underdog Bangladesh to defeat favourites New Zealand in this crucial series decider.