- By Manik Sharma
- Thu, 07 Dec 2023 03:20 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bangladesh vs New Zealand 2nd Test: After a thriller of a Day 1 in the second test between Bangladesh and New Zealand, Day 2 at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka turned into a day of frustration as relentless rain in Mirpur played spoilsport, forcing the abandonment of play at 1:55 pm local time.
The inclement weather, which had started early in the morning, showed no signs of stopping, prompting match officials to call stumps early. It is yet to be seen if this will have a major impact on the test match as the first day had witnessed a flurry of wickets, with 15 falling in total.
Bangladesh, having won the toss and opted to bat in the final test of the series, posted a modest 172 runs in their first innings. Mushfiqur Rahim's 35 emerged as the top score, but his dismissal added a unique drama to the match, making him the first Bangladeshi batter to be given out for obstructing the field. Rahim was well-set before a sudden rush of blood led him to handle the ball after playing a defensive stroke against Kyle Jamieson.
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Despite Bangladesh's relatively low score, their spinners staged a memorable comeback, reducing New Zealand to 55-5 by the end of the first day's play. Off Spinner Mehidy Hasan spearheaded the attack with figures of 3-17, while left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, coming off a stellar performance in the first test, contributed with 2-29.
With Bangladesh holding a 117-run lead in the first innings, the teams now look ahead to an earlier-than-scheduled start on Friday, hoping for better weather conditions.
Bangladesh, buoyed by their first Test victory, is eyeing a historic series win against New Zealand. As play is set to resume on day three at 9:15 am local time, it is to be seen if the weather will permit a full day of action and if Bangladesh can capitalise on their advantageous position to clinch the series 2-0.