CT 2017: Match 9, BAN v NZ – 5 Game Changing Moments

New Zealand took on Bangladesh in the 9th match of the ICC Champions Trophy at Cardiff. It was a must-win game for both the sides to keep the hopes alive of qualifying for the semi-finals of the tournament. New Zealand batted first and scored 265 for the loss of 8 wickets courtesy half-centuries from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.

In reply, Bangladesh got off to a terrible start and lost 4 wickets for just 33 runs in the 12th over. The Kiwis were the clear favorites to emerge victorious at that point of time. But Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah stunned everyone and constructed a double hundred partnership and notched up their individual hundreds as well to see their side through by 5 wickets.

In doing so, they knocked the Black Caps out of the tournament and kept their hopes alive. Now their fate is in the hands of the other two teams in the group. If England beat Australia, Bangladesh will go through along with the hosts and if Australia win, they go through and Bangladesh will be ruled out.

Here are the 5 games changing moments from Bangladesh’s famous win:

#1 Williamson’s run out

The Kiwi skipper had scored a hundred and a half-century in the previous 2 matches. He continued his prime form and built a solid knock here as well. The right-hander was stitching a wonderful partnership alongside Ross Taylor. He got to yet another half-century and became the highest run-getter in the tournament.

Kane Williamson seemed like getting to one more hundred but his stay at the crease came to an unfortunate end. In the 30th over, Taylor pushed a delivery towards leg and took a couple of steps down the pitch but suddenly stopped. Williamson had already left the crease and a throw at the non-striker’s end found him short of the crease and he had to walk back after scoring 57 off 69 balls.

#2 Taylor’s untimely departure

Ross Taylor looked in good touch and scored 63 runs. But just when he was shaping up to launch during the slog overs, he lost his wicket in the 39th over. While looking to scoop the ball off Takin Ahmed, he ended up giving an easy catch to the short fine leg fielder. Credit goes to the bowler who bowled a cutter to deceive the batsman.

It was his dismissal that triggered a collapse in the batting line-up and they lost 4 more wickets after that. The lower order could add only 64 runs off 68 balls and they were restricted to 265 at the end of 50 overs. At one stage, the Black Caps were set to score in excess of 300 but Taylor’s untimely departure tightened the screws on the scoring.

#3 Mosaddek’s triple strike

New Zealand reached 228/4 after 43 overs and there were two set batsmen at the crease in the form of James Neesham and Neil Broom. They were in for a flourishing finish but Mosaddek Hossain came to the rescue for Bangladesh. He came in to ball just his 2nd over in the 44th and off the 1st ball, he sent back Broom for 36.

Two balls later, he struck Corey Anderson on the pads plumb in front of the wickets to send the batsman packing for a duck. In his next over, he accounted for the wicket of Neesham who threatened to strike big but was sent back for 23. He finished with figures of 13/3 in just 3 overs. It was his spell that did not let the Kiwi batsmen score freely at the end.

#4 Southee’s devastating spell

The target of 266 wasn’t a big one but Tim Southee’s brilliant spell made that look a lot bigger. He trapped both the openers in front of wickets and got Sabbir Rahman out caught behind courtesy a Jaffa. The batting side was left tottering at 12/3 in the 5th over and it was the kind of start New Zealand were hoping for.

Earlier, when the Bangladeshi seamers had bowled, they could not extract much out of the surface but Southee made it seem like a completely different deck. He moved the ball in the air and off the pitch too that ruffled the feathers of the top-order. After the 3 quick wickets, New Zealand were firmly in the driver’s seat.

#5 Mahmudullah-Shakib’s grand effort

All looked lost for Bangladesh when they were down to 33/4 in the 12th over. The victory seemed too far but the two experienced batsmen in the form of Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah did something that not many would have thought of. The duo batted brilliantly and brought the side back into the game.

They added a massive 224 runs for the 5th wicket that became the highest ever partnership for Bangladesh in their ODI history. Shakib made 114 off 115 whereas Mahmudullah stayed unbeaten at 102 off 107 as they took the side to a famous victory and kept their campaign alive in the tournament.