Bangladesh opt to bat in 'do or die' game against New Zealand

In a high-stakes Champions Trophy encounter at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bowl first against Bangladesh.

The match is a must-win for Bangladesh to keep their semifinal hopes alive after a six-wicket defeat to India in their opening game.

A victory for New Zealand, however, would secure their place in the semifinals alongside India.  

Bangladesh made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Nahid Rana and Mahmudullah Riyad to replace Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Soumya Sarkar. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed confidence despite the pressure, stating, "We would have liked to bowl as well, but the way we fought back against India after the collapse gives us a lot of confidence."  

New Zealand also made two changes, with Kyle Jamieson replacing Nathan Smith and Rachin Ravindra coming in for Daryl Mitchell, who felt unwell ahead of the match. Santner explained his decision to bowl first, saying, "Looks like a good wicket, and there might be some dew later. It's always good to play in conditions similar to what we'll face in the tournament."  

Teams:

 
Bangladesh (Playing XI): Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (w), Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman  
New Zealand (Playing XI): Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William O'Rourke