Champions Trophy: Bracewell’s Unyielding Four-Wicket Haul Limits Bangladesh to 236/9
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Synopsis
In a pivotal Champions Trophy 2025 match, Michael Bracewell's four-wicket haul, alongside William O’Rourke's two wickets, limited Bangladesh to 236/9. Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 77 runs, while Jaker Ali contributed 45. New Zealand's victory would ensure their semifinal berth.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Bracewell achieved a remarkable four-wicket haul.
- Najmul Hossain Shanto was the top scorer for Bangladesh with 77 runs.
- New Zealand restricted Bangladesh to 236/9 in 50 overs.
- William O’Rourke contributed with two key wickets.
- The match was crucial for both teams in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Rawalpindi, Feb 24 (NationPress) Michael Bracewell’s impressive four-wicket haul, complemented by William O’Rourke’s two wickets, enabled New Zealand to confine Bangladesh to a score of 236/9 after 50 overs during a pivotal league match in the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was the top scorer for Bangladesh with 77 runs, while Jaker Ali contributed 45 runs towards the end, in a match Bangladesh had to win to stay alive in the group stage. After losing their opener to India, New Zealand had triumphed over host Pakistan. A win here would guarantee New Zealand a place in the semifinals.
Bracewell became the first New Zealand spinner since Paul Wiseman in 2002 to claim a four-wicket haul in the ICC Champions Trophy. He concluded the match with figures of 4-26, having bowled an impressive 43 dot balls during his ten-over spell. His performance marked the best-ever figures for a spinner from the Black Caps in this tournament.
Opting to bat first, Bangladesh made a strong start with openers Tanzid Hasan and Shanto. Tanzid aggressively attacked the New Zealand bowlers, hitting Kyle Jamieson for a four and a six off consecutive deliveries in the second over.
However, Bangladesh found it difficult to capitalize during the middle overs of the first power-play, facing a stretch of 11 dot balls before Tanzid broke the silence by hitting a short ball from Matt Henry for a six over midwicket. Shanto joined in shortly after, hitting three boundaries in the eighth over against Jamieson.
The New Zealand captain brought in Bracewell, who quickly made an impact by dismissing Tanzid with his second delivery, a full-length ball aimed at the pads. Tanzid attempted to hit it across the line but instead found Kane Williamson at mid-wicket.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz quickly made his presence felt by hitting a stunning six off Bracewell straight down the ground just three deliveries later. By the end of the first power-play, Bangladesh had a solid score of 58/1. However, Miraz fell shortly after, dismissed by William O’Rourke in the 12th over.
Bangladesh’s hero from the previous match, Towhid Hridoy, faced pressure from the start as the Kiwis tightened their grip on the batting. Hridoy could only muster seven runs off 24 deliveries before falling to Bracewell. Mitchell Santner then introduced spin from both ends to exert further pressure on the Bangladesh batting lineup.
Mushfiqur Rahim, the experienced wicketkeeper for Bangladesh, didn’t last long, attempting a slog-sweep off Bracewell but ended up getting caught by Rachin Ravindra at deep midwicket. While wickets fell steadily, Shanto reached his fifty in 71 deliveries, marking his highest ODI score against New Zealand.
Bracewell, who bowled a continuous ten-over spell, capped off his outstanding performance by dismissing Mahmudullah in his final over.
Shanto fell after a commendable 77 runs off 110 balls, undoubtedly disappointed for not converting it into a bigger score. O’Rourke struck again, and Shanto’s top-edged pull was caught by Bracewell sprinting in from mid-on.
With ten overs remaining and Bangladesh at 172/6, Jaker Ali played a stabilizing role similar to his 68-run innings against India, partnering with Rishad Hossain, who scored 24 runs before being caught off Matt Henry’s bowling in the 44th over.
Ali hit three fours and a six before being run out in the 49th over. Attempting a bye, he was caught short by wicketkeeper Tom Latham, who made a precise underarm throw. Jamieson also took down Ahmed in the final over, restricting Bangladesh to 236/9.
With the average first-innings score at Rawalpindi being 242 and dew expected in the second innings, New Zealand has a promising opportunity to secure the second and final qualification spot with a win against Bangladesh.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 236/9 in 50 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 77, Jaker Ali 45, Rishad Hossain 26; Michael Bracewell 4-26, William O'Rourke 2-48) vs New Zealand.
