New Zealand secured a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy, cementing their place in the semi-finals alongside India. Rachin Ravindra starred with a decisive 112 runs, stepping into a crucial role after a shaky start at 15 for 2. Bangladesh, needing a win, faltered with their batting pace and inconsistency, scoring only 236 runs, despite Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 77. Michael Bracewell shone with the ball, taking 4 for 26, contributing to Bangladesh’s struggle to rotate the strike. New Zealand’s successful partnerships and strategic play ensured their victory, eliminating Pakistan and Bangladesh from the tournament.
New Zealand achieved 240 for 5 (Ravindra 112, Latham 55) and defeated Bangladesh who scored 236 for 9 (Shanto 77, Bracewell 4-26, O’Rourke 2-40) by five wickets
He seamlessly adapted to an unfamiliar position, unfazed by coming in at 15 for 2. He maintained his composure and smile as he celebrated his century, an innings that not only secured his team’s semi-final spot but also confirmed India’s qualification. Unfortunately for Pakistan and Bangladesh, they have officially been eliminated.
Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana ignited hopes for Bangladesh with a fiery opening spell, toppling Will Young’s stumps in the very first over and dismissing Williamson for a rare single-digit score. The infield was densely packed during that phase, and the atmosphere was electric, with the crowd fully engaged. Enter Ravindra. His batting possesses a remarkable touch—so pure. Batting down at No. 4—he was included in the XI to replace the ill Daryl Mitchell—there was a risk he might not capitalize fully on the opportunity. Fortunately, he began under field restrictions, allowing him to make the most of his timing. His initial five fours were perfectly placed, with his timing ensuring the rest took care of itself.
Ravindra waited 11 overs after the field spread for his next boundary, but that didn’t equate to stagnation. His first 23 runs came off 21 balls, featuring five fours, while he scored his next 28 off 29 balls, hitting one four. There was a moment of hesitation in there—a mix-up with his Wellington teammate Devon Conway could have resulted in a run-out had Tanzid Hasan executed a direct hit in the 12th over.
Bangladesh struggled to rotate the strike, while New Zealand did it effectively. This disparity was one of the key differences between the two teams. The pitch improved significantly for batting as the lights came on, a fact that Mitchell Santner anticipated when he won the toss and opted to chase. Remarkably, Bracewell emerged as his secret weapon, astonishing himself with figures of 4 for 26 from 10 uninterrupted overs. In a mid-innings interview, he remarked, “Funny one, once you let go [of the ball] you don’t have much control of what happens at the other end.”
Bracewell’s success stemmed from his ability to slow down his pace, while Bangladesh contributed majorly to their own downfall. They exited the tournament having endured more than 50 overs of dot balls. Their decision-making left them so thin on batting resources that they ended up with Taskin on strike for the 45th over, resulting in a maiden over. The Black Caps executed another impressive maneuver earlier in the innings, only having three fielders rather than the five allowed on the boundary in the 40th over.
Towards the end of the chase, Bangladesh faced a harsh reminder of what might have been, witnessing sharp turn, leading edges, low bounce, and even a direct-hit run-out. The pitch merely amplified their regrets—Ravindra was just 25 when Tanzid missed a critical chance—and the runs that eluded them; 260 runs would have made this contest significantly more competitive.