LAHORE (AMK): Sensational New Zealand thumped Bangladesh by 6 wickets in the sixth match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Michael Bracewell emerged as hero of the day with both bat and ball, taking four crucial wickets to help New Zealand restrict Bangladesh to 236/9 before guiding his side to victory with an unbeaten knock. With this loss, Bangladesh was eliminated from the tournament, alongside hosts and defending champions Pakistan, who were also knocked out officially.
New Zealand’s chase got off to a shaky start as reliable Will Young was dismissed for a duck, falling to Taskin Ahmed early in the innings. Kane Williamson soon followed, dismissed for a mere 5 runs by Nahid Rana, leaving New Zealand in a vulnerable position at 15/2. However, Devon Conway (30) steadied the ship, forming a brief partnership with Rachin Ravindra, who was in sublime form.
Ravindra, in particular, was in exceptional touch, playing shots all around the ground. His 112 runs off 105 balls were a testament to his temperament and skill, as he took control of the chase after the early setbacks. Together with Tom Latham (55), Ravindra built a solid foundation for the Kiwis, putting on a 129-run partnership for the third wicket.
Despite a run-out dismissal of Tom Latham, New Zealand had already established a dominant position at 201/4. Glenn Phillips (21) and Bracewell (11) provided the final push, guiding New Zealand past the target with ease. The chase was completed in just 46.1 overs, with New Zealand finishing at 240/5.
Earlier put into bat first, Bangladesh found themselves in early trouble as New Zealand’s bowlers imposed themselves right from the start. Tanzid Hasan’s brief stay at the crease ended with a miscue, as he was caught by Kane Williamson off the bowling of Bracewell for just 24 runs. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto anchored the innings with a well-played 77 off 110 balls, supported by a series of small partnerships. But the pressure from the Kiwi bowlers was relentless.
Bracewell’s magnificent spell dismantled the middle order, claiming key wickets, including that of Towhid Hridoy (7), Mushfiqur Rahim (2), and Mahmudullah (4). His performance was instrumental in reducing Bangladesh to a precarious 118/5. Jaker Ali (45) and Rishad Hossain (26) provided some resistance but Bangladesh’s innings came to an end at 236/9 after their allotted 50 overs. Michael Bracewell finished with remarkable figures of 4-26, while Will O’Rourke and Jameson chipped in with 2 wickets each.
SCORES IN BRIEF:
NEW ZEALAND 240-5 (Ravindra 112, Latham 55) beat BANGLADESH 236-9 (Shanto 77, Bracewell 4-26, O’Rourke 2-40) by five wickets.
