Snatch a glimpse and the MA Chidambaram Stadium feels quite the contemporary setting for cricket. Tall stands, bucket seats, LED floodlights, a large playing square, a lush outfield and a drainage system that can stand its ground. It’s only when you step away from cricket here that the place reveals itself for what it is: an old soul trying to pass off as a hipster. For, a narrow two-lane road from the Marina Beach leads you to the venue; cement-plastered stairs usher you down and into the stadium; and a small place of worship greets you inside as you make your way to the stands. It’s this bit of old-fashion that makes the place special, and it’s this bit of old-fashion that the teams will need come the World Cup fixture on Friday.
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Both Bangladesh Vs New Zealand will know what to expect. It’s Chennai after all. It will be hot and it will spin. Just how much is usually the answer you seek when you tune into a match here. But if it spins anything like the last game here, Bangladesh will look at it as reparations for all the previous World Cup grounds they have played New Zealand at.
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New Zealand will be glad that Kane Williamson is match-fit when he is. The soft hands, the rotation of strike, the finesse that he brings to the table, especially against spin, could come in handy here. There’s also the white-ball experience of Trent Boult and Tim Southee here to go with that of Mitchell Santner and Devon Conway, who by virtue of their IPL contracts call this very venue their home.
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Weight it all up and it feels as if New Zealand walk into the contest knowing the venue better, but Bangladesh, being where they are from, come in with greater familiarity with the conditions. It’s all set up for a fascinating context, with the fixture promising to be a crucial turning point in both campaigns.
Bangladesh know that this World Cup in India is their best ever shot at that elusive semifinal berth, and that this game here in Chennai could be the perfect stepping stone towards that. New Zealand, on the other hand, are coming off two wins in two games without so much as needing a full-strength squad, and how they respond to Chepauk’s more alien playing conditions in back-to-back matches against hyperlocal teams could have a knock-on effect on the rest of their campaign.
When: New Zealand vs Bangladesh
Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
What to expect: Feels-like temperature of 38 degrees. It could be a familiar start to the match, with those in attendance camouflaging in the shades and making the stadium look emptyish. But as it has been the case so far, expect the crowds to swell in the evening for what could be a tight contest on the cards.
In the two ODIs at Chepauk this year, spinners have taken 17 wickets at an average of 24.88 and an economy-rate of 4.50.
For this game, the groundmen have prepared Pitch No. 4, which is a mix of black and red soil. It was watered and rolled many times over on the eve of the match, so don’t expect the top surface to give away as soon as it did in the India-Australia game. This pitch could be harder and firmer, allowing batters to play their shots as well as the spinners to turn the ball.
New Zealand
Kane Williamson will be back to lead the side after six months on the sidelines. Tim Southee won’t be playing, Kane confirmed but assured that Rachin Ravindra will “absolutely be involved” after significant contributions in the first two matches. Kane’s return could mean that Mark Chapman gets the axe in order to accommodate both Will Young and Rachin Ravindra in the side.
Tactics & Strategy:
Whether to play Ish Sodhi or not, that’s the big question. The legspinner recently picked a six-wicket haul against Bangladesh in Mirpur and what role that will play in propping up his chances is anybody’s guess. What’s true though is that outside of what were his best ODI figures, he doesn’t have much going for him in what’s anyway not been a legspinner’s World Cup so far.
Probable XI: Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson/Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult
Bangladesh
There could be a toss up between Tanzid Hasan and Mahmudullah, with the latter coming into the fray to add more experience to the batting. Nasum Ahmed, the left-arm orthodox, could come into the side considering four of the top-six batters could be right-handed.
Tactics & Strategy
Bangladesh have lost ten ODIs this year, and they were bowled out for under 240 in all those defeats. A lot of that is down to the failures of the opening combinations, seven pairs of which have been tried in the last 15 ODIs. No wonder the last five opening stands for Bangladesh read 13(13), 19(36), 6(9), 19(25) and 14(10), and it is definitely something that the side would want to take a hard look at.
Probable XI: Tanzid Hasan/Mahmudullah, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mushfiqur Rahim (w), Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
Did you know
– Shakib, who scored 600+ runs in World Cup 2019, has not scored a century in ODIs since then.
– Williamson was Player of the Tournament in 2019 but has featured only in 12 ODIs since.
– Bangladesh is the only side in the competition without a wrist spinner in their squad
Squads:
New Zealand Squad: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson(c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult, Will Young, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, James Neesham
Bangladesh Squad: Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shakib Al Hasan(c), Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nasum Ahmed, Mahmudullah
