• Match: New Zealand vs Bangladesh, 2nd T20I Match, Bangladesh tour of New Zealand 2023
• Date and Time: December 29, 06:10 am GMT / 11:40 am IST / 12:10 pm BD
• Venue: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

New Zealand: Although New Zealand have not selected their strongest possible T20I squad for this series, they still have plenty of talent who should be able to defeat Bangladesh at home. The Tigers are growing in self belief and this will not be an easy game on Friday.

Bangladesh have always struggled with their self-belief when playing in New Zealand but they have now won successive games on this tour. Victory in Mount Maunganui will be a tough ask but if they produce another win they will have made a big statement.

Bangladesh: Historically, Bangladesh has faced challenges with self-belief when playing in New Zealand. However, their consecutive victories during this tour showcase a shift. Winning in Mount Maunganui remains a formidable challenge, but another win would signal a significant statement of their growing capabilities.

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New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (Captain), Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (Wicket-Keeper), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears.

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Mahedi Hasan, Litton Das (Wicket-Keeper), Towhid Hridoy, Tanzim Hasan, Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman.

The series of back-to-back victories for Bangladesh on this tour surprised many pundits. Shoriful Islam’s formidable bowling has troubled New Zealand’s batters, and he’s expected to thrive in the upcoming fixture’s conditions. Despite this, our prediction leans toward New Zealand exhibiting a stronger performance, both with bat and ball, in the upcoming Friday T20I, securing a win in this encounter.

Prediction: New Zealand to defeat Bangladesh in the 2nd T20.

The Bay Oval has hosted eight T20Is, and in each instance, the team batting first has emerged victorious. Anticipating this trend, it’s likely that both captains, if given the chance, will opt to bat first after winning the toss.

The general consensus among pundits suggests that Mount Maunganui will offer a surface favoring bowlers. Any score exceeding 150 in the first innings could prove to be challenging to chase down, considering the conditions are likely to be bowler-friendly.

The weather forecast indicates potential delays during the initial phase of the game due to anticipated thunderstorms. Humid conditions are also expected in the area, which might impact the match proceedings.

• Venue: Bay Oval
• City: Mount Maunganui