Toss Bangladesh have opted to bowl first against New Zealand
With rain expected later in the evening, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss for the second T20I and chose to field first against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui. Bangladesh are aiming for a historic T20I series victory in New Zealand after winning the first T20I two nights ago by five wickets.
Bangladesh had to make one change, with Litton Das sidelined due to a muscle strain. Shamim Hossain, a left-handed batter, will replace him. Rony Talukdar is likely to take over the wicketkeeping duties in Litton’s absence.
New Zealand stuck with the same lineup, featuring four right-handed batters in the top order and a trio of left-handed batters from positions 5 to 7. Their bowling attack includes three pacers, two spinners, and a variety of spin and pace part-timers to support the attack. Rachin Ravindra did not make the cut.
The weather in Mount Maunganui has been unstable throughout the day, with intermittent rain during the morning and afternoon. However, the clouds cleared up before warm-up time. There is a possibility of further disruptions in the evening. The pitch has been described as a “balanced” surface, offering something for both batsmen and bowlers to stay engaged.
The second T20I today and the third T20I on the morning of December 31 are New Zealand and Bangladesh’s final two matches of the calendar year. Both games will take place in Mt Maunganui, with the hosts looking to mount a comeback after falling behind 1-0 in Napier.
New Zealand XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (capt), Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears.
Bangladesh XI: Rony Talukdar (wk), Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Shamim Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman.
