Rawalpindi: All-rounder Michael Bracewell did the star turn with a four-wicket haul as New Zealand dished out a disciplined performance to restrict Bangladesh to 236 for nine in their Champions Trophy match here Monday.
Bracewell, the left-handed batter who bowls off-spin, was measly as well as effective, finishing with excellent figures of 4/26 in 10 overs.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored for Bangladesh with a 77 that came off 110 balls, as the team’s specialist batters seemed to have lacked a plan in the middle overs and did not have a target in mind in their must-win game.
Number seven Jaker Ali chipped in with 45 off 55 balls, giving batting lessons to the ones who failed at the top of the order and in the middle.
Opting to field, New Zealand did not taste success straightaway as skipper Shanto and Tanzid Hasan put up 45 runs for the first wicket before the latter was dismissed for a run-a-ball 24 by Bracewell.
Bracewell tossed one up and Tanzid looked to attack but failed to connect, as Kane Williamson completed a diving effort at midwicket.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz got off the mark in style, using the feet to smash a Bracewell delivery for a six straight down the ground.
Miraz (13 off 14 balls), however, gave it away after a promising start as he failed to clear mid-on while trying to chip a fuller ball angling onto the pads.
As Shanto kept finding the occasional boundaries, New Zealand struck again, getting rid of Towhid Hridoy (7), thanks to an excellent catch from Williamson who ran back from extra cover to hold the ball over his shoulder after the batter failed to time a Bracewell delivery.
With Bangladesh having lost their third wicket in the 21st over with just 97 runs on the board, in came Mushfiqur Rahim and a lot depended on the seasoned campaigner, but all he did was make two runs off five balls before perishing to Bracewell, who was enjoying a productive outing with the ball.
Looking to unsettle the bowler with a big hit, Mushfiqur went for a slog-sweep, but his shot lacked the power to go the distance as Rachin Ravindra completed the catch at deep mid-wicket.
Skipper Shanto, meanwhile, reached his half-century with a single to deep square leg.
What hurt Bangladesh in that phase of the game was that their batters played out 86 dot balls in the first 21 overs.
Another wicket was thrown away when the seasoned Mahmudullah ended up getting a leading edge while looking to clobber the ball straight down the ground, giving Bracewell his fourth wicket.
William O’Rourke then got the big wicket of Shanto to consolidate New Zealand’s position and complicate matters for Bangladesh.
