Can Tigers resist ahead of Tests?
With Bangladesh already having lost the three-match ODI series against the Kiwis with a game in hand, the focus for the Tigers will now be to recover some confidence for their first ever three-match Test series in the tough conditions of New Zealand.
Bangladesh have never won a Test match over the 13 matches that the two sides have contested with each other. The Tigers lost 10 of those while managing to draw three. Bangladesh, who are still searching for their first ever international win in New Zealand, have lost all seven matches played away from home.
Adapting to conditions hostile for any subcontinent team has remained the biggest challenge for the visitors, which was evident during their losses in the first two ODIs. Bangladesh's batsmen struggled to deal with the Kiwi seamers' sheer pace and movement.
It was the Tigers' top order that has remained below par as Bangladesh lost their first five wickets for less than 100 runs in both games and the third and final ODI will be a great platform for the visitors to stage a comeback and avoid the humiliation of being whitewashed.
Bangladesh has managed to post modest totals of 232 and 226 in the first two ODIs respectively and it's the batting department which needs to fire now.
Talking about adapting to tough Kiwi conditions, the players also need to make some adjustments if they are to deal with the Kiwi seamers and once again it will be the likes of Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad who need to lead the resistance in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan, who is sitting out the tour so far with a eleventh-hour finger injury.
There are other injury concerns too for the Tigers as Mushfiqur is suffering from multiple injuries along with his pre-existing rib injury and unfortunately for the tourists, the scan report revealed that the wicketkeeper-batsman has suffered a broken rib yet again.
Mohammad Mithun, who scored consecutive fifties, in the first two ODIs also suffered a Grade 1 hamstring tear while taking a quick single in the second ODI in Christchurch. He is expected to recover ahead of the first Test in Hamilton on February 28.
At the same time, the Tigers' fast bowling department also needs to step up if they are to win their first ever Test against the Kiwis, that too in their own den and the visitors need to take 20 opposition wickets, which will be a humongous task.
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