Champions Trophy: Ravindra and Latham Propel NZ Past Bangladesh to Semifinals
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Synopsis
On February 24, Rachin Ravindra's century and Tom Latham's solid performance led New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy. With this win, New Zealand and India secure their semifinal spots from Group A, while Bangladesh and Pakistan are eliminated.
Key Takeaways
- Rachin Ravindra scored 112 runs in a vital performance.
- Tom Latham contributed a critical 55 runs.
- New Zealand qualified for the semifinals alongside India.
- Bangladesh and Pakistan were eliminated from the tournament.
- The match showcased solid partnerships and strategic batting.
Rawalpindi, Feb 24 (NationPress) Rachin Ravindra’s fourth ODI century and Tom Latham’s composed 55-run performance guided New Zealand to a convincing five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their Group A encounter at Rawalpindi Stadium, finishing with 23 balls to spare. This result secures semifinals slots for both New Zealand and India from Group A, with a clash for the top position scheduled for March 2. Bangladesh and the host nation, Pakistan, have been eliminated from the tournament.
Ravindra scored an impressive 112 runs, hitting the boundary 12 times, along with one six, showcasing a variety of shots that ultimately led to his team's triumph. The all-rounder made a notable return from an injury sustained during New Zealand's initial match against Pakistan in the Tri-nation ODI Series preceding the Champions Trophy.
Bangladesh, defending a target of 237, had a promising start with Taskin Ahmed delivering a wicket maiden. The right-arm fast bowler executed a full-length delivery that turned back in to dismiss Will Young, who had previously scored a century against Pakistan.
Nahid Rana, who came in for Tanzid Shakib, made a significant impact by taking down Kane Williamson in the fourth over. The 22-year-old bowler managed to induce a nick from the Kiwi captain, sending the ball to the keeper. Williamson's exit brought Ravindra to the crease, where he marked his return in remarkable fashion after stepping in for an unwell Daryl Mitchell.
Ravindra, alongside Devon Conway, worked to stabilize New Zealand's innings until Conway fell to Mustafizur Rahman. An outside-off delivery led to Conway's misfortune, chopping the ball onto the stumps after hitting six boundaries.
With three wickets lost, New Zealand needed to consolidate their innings, and the partnership between Latham and Ravindra proved crucial with a 129-run stand. Ravindra’s innings displayed a blend of precision and technique as he consistently found gaps against Bangladesh's bowlers.
The centurion's dismissal came too late for Bangladesh to recover; he was attempting to accelerate after reaching his hundred in 95 balls when Rishad Hossain caught him trying to clear the fielder at wide long-on.
Latham and Glenn Phillips appeared poised to finish the game, but Latham was run out while attempting a quick single. Nevertheless, Phillips and the standout bowler, Bracewell, secured the winning runs with 23 balls to spare.
Brief score:
Bangladesh 236/9 in 50 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 77, Jaker Ali 45; Michael Bracewell 4-26) lost to New Zealand 240/5 in 46.1 overs (Rachin Ravindra 112, Tom Latham 55; Taskin Ahmed 1-28, Nahid Rana 1-43) by five wickets
