The Bangladesh cricket team created history by beating NZ in the first test match at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. This was Bangladesh’s first-ever Test victory over New Zealand, as well as the country’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in any format. This was also Bangladesh’s first away Test win against a team ranked in the top five of the ICC Rankings.
Winning the toss, the visitors decided to let the hosts bat first. For a brief moment, the decision to field first paid off, as Kiwi skipper Tom Latham was dismissed at a score of 1. Devon Conway and Will Young, on the other hand, batted exceptionally well and combined for 138 runs. After Young (52) and Conway (122) were out, Henry Nicholls played an incredible 75-run knock, and New Zealand scored 328 runs in the first innings. Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shoriful Islam both took three wickets.
On the other hand, Bangladesh batted beautifully with 4 of their players hitting half a century each. Mahmudul Hasan Joy scored brilliant 78 runs, Najmul Hossain Shanto scored good 64 runs, skipper Mominul Haque played the knock of 88 runs and wicketkeeper-batsman Litton Das contributed 86 runs. Trent Boult’s four-wicket haul and Neil Wagner’s three wickets helped NZ to stop Bangladesh at 458. The Black Caps were defeated by Ebadot Hossain’s cunning spell in the second innings. The right-arm pacer shattered the New Zealand side with a six-wicket haul, reducing the Kiwis to 169. The visitors were given a meager target of 40 runs, and they easily scored it.
What does the current WTC table look like?
With a 3-0 lead in the Ashes against England, the Australians are right at the top of the table. Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India have acquired 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions respectively. Bangladesh has moved up to fifth place in the World Test Championship points table as a result of this victory. The New Zealand team, on the other hand, is ranked seventh. The West Indies are in sixth place, while England is in eighth place. The South African team is in last place in the points table. The table is dynamic and ever-changing, therefore it will be interesting to see some top-notch performances by the teams to secure their spot in the top 2 before the finals.
