 "Champions Trophy 2025: Rachin Ravindra's century powers New Zealand into semifinals as Bangladesh lose by 5 wickets")
Rawalpindi: Rachin Ravindra shepherded New Zealand’s chase with a timely century as his team recovered from an early wobble to see off Bangladesh by five wickets and secure its place in the semifinals of the Champions Trophy here on Monday.
Victory for the Black Caps also confirmed India’s slot in the semifinals while eliminating tournament hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh from the mega event. Both India and New Zealand have won their first two matches, including against Pakistan.
Before Ravindra’s chancy hundred, all-rounder Michael Bracewell did the star turn with a four-wicket haul as New Zealand restricted Bangladesh to 236 for nine.
In reply, New Zealand were off to a disastrous start as they lost the wickets of Will Young and Kane Williamson with just 15 runs on the board. But they rallied to complete the chase in 46.1 overs, with Ravindra making 112 off 105 balls with the help of 12 fours and a six.
Tom Latham struck 55 in 76 balls, while adding 129 runs for the fourth wicket with Ravindra which sealed the deal in New Zealand’s favour.
Bangladesh had their moments though with the ball.
Taskin Ahmed got rid of Young with a magnificent inswinger that crashed through the batter’s defence to disturb the stumps with New Zealand yet to open their account.
Playing this game after his surprise omission from the clash against India, express pace bowler Nahid Rana then made short work of Kane Williamson (5), who drove away from his body, got an outside edge, and Mushfiqur Rahim accepted the offering gleefully.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsA partnership of 57 runs followed between Devon Conway (30) and Ravindra before the wily left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman got Conway to chop one onto his stumps, laving the Kiwis at a tricky 72 for three in the 16th over.
Then came the match-winning partnership Ravindra and Latham.
Earlier, Bracewell, the left-handed batter who bowls off-spin, was measly as well as effective, finishing with excellent figures of 4/26 in 10 overs.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored for Bangladesh with a 77 that came off 110 balls, as the team’s specialist batters seemed to have lacked a plan in the middle overs and did not have a target in mind in their must-win game.
Number seven Jaker Ali chipped in with 45 off 55 balls, giving batting lessons to the ones who failed at the top of the order and in the middle.
Opting to field, New Zealand did not taste success straightaway as skipper Shanto and Tanzid Hasan put up 45 runs for the first wicket before the latter was dismissed for a run-a-ball 24 by Bracewell.
Bracewell tossed one up and Tanzid looked to attack but failed to connect, as Kane Williamson completed a diving effort at midwicket.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz got off the mark in style, using the feet to smash a Bracewell delivery for a six straight down the ground.
Miraz (13 off 14 balls), however, gave it away after a promising start as he failed to clear mid-on while trying to chip a fuller ball angling onto the pads.
As Shanto kept finding the occasional boundaries, New Zealand struck again, getting rid of Towhid Hridoy (7), thanks to an excellent catch from Williamson who ran back from extra cover to hold the ball over his shoulder after the batter failed to time a Bracewell delivery.
With Bangladesh having lost their third wicket in the 21st over with just 97 runs on the board, in came Mushfiqur Rahim and a lot depended on the seasoned campaigner, but all he did was make two runs off five balls before perishing to Bracewell, who was enjoying a productive outing with the ball.
Looking to unsettle the bowler with a big hit, Mushfiqur went for a slog-sweep, but his shot lacked the power to go the distance as Ravindra completed the catch at deep mid-wicket.
Skipper Shanto, meanwhile, reached his half-century with a single to deep square leg.
What hurt Bangladesh in that phase of the game was that their batters played out 86 dot balls in the first 21 overs.
Another wicket was thrown away when the seasoned Mahmudullah ended up getting a leading edge while looking to clobber the ball straight down the ground, giving Bracewell his fourth wicket.
William O’Rourke then got the big wicket of Shanto to consolidate New Zealand’s position and complicate matters for Bangladesh.
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