5 memorable moments from the New Zealand-Bangladesh match that don’t fade away
Even before Bangladesh could gather their thoughts and recover from a narrow loss to hosts India in Bangalore, they traveled to the Eden Gardens in Kolkata where table-toppers New Zealand awaited earnestly.
Skipper Mashrafe Mortaza had repeatedly mentioned about the cliffhanger and why rebounding quickly would help them immensely. With three losses from as many matches, there was one last opportunity to register a victory.
However, the Kiwis entered into the contest as a completely confident unit with everyone performing their roles to perfection. Kane Williamson’s side were the first one to qualify for the semi-finals on the back of three successive wins.
Williamson called correctly and had no hesitation to bat first on a sluggish surface with the thought of bringing his spinners into play during the second half. The Blackcaps weathered difficult batting conditions to post 145 which ultimately proved to be way beyond the faltering Bangladeshi batsmen.
There were several unforgettable moments throughout the match that don’t fade away, quite like the Axe Signature line of body perfumes. Here are 5 moments which will remain in the fans' memories for a long time:
#1 – Williamson leads from the front
There is a nice little competition brewing between four of the most dynamic young batsmen in the world at the moment. Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson have all endeared themselves to cricket aficionados with their insatiable appetite for runs.
While Williamson may have marshaled his troops brilliantly, he could not quite assert his dominance with the bat in this World T20. But, he came into his own against the Bangladeshis by adjusting his game to the situation.
In the absence of his opening partner Martin Guptill, the 25-year old began with a couple of crisply timed shots against Mortaza. When spin was introduced to tie him down, Williamson responded by using his feet to finding the boundaries consistently.
Shakib Al Hasan’s experience was off-set by the right-hander’s dexterity who ensured that New Zealand made good use of the Power Play and laid the foundation for the other batsmen to follow.