Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam dismissed Daryll Mitchell with a clever delivery, while Kane Williamson continued to build New Zealand’s innings against Bangladesh on the second day of the Sylhet Test. Mitchell fell for 41 after a 66-run partnership was ended by Taijul’s skillful bowling. Earlier, Shoriful Islam removed Henry Nicholls, but Williamson persevered, reaching 66 off 110 balls. The New Zealand captain and Tom Blundell ended the day at 168 for four. The day also saw Mehedi Hasan Miraz dismissing Devon Conway and Taijul Islam removing Tom Latham. Bangladesh had earlier been all out for 310, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy top-scoring with 86.

Just before the highly anticipated Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final clash between India and New Zealand, a storm of controversy swept through the cricketing realm, accusing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of a last-minute pitch alteration. Speculation suggested that India might have tweaked the pitch to tip the scales in their favor. When questioned about this in the post-match press conference, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson downplayed the entire discourse.

During the presser, Williamson acknowledged the use of a previously played wicket but emphasized its quality, expressing no objections from the New Zealand side.

“Well, yes, it was a used wicket, but honestly, it provided a good surface, as we witnessed. They gained a lot from it in the first half of the match. Conditions tend to shift, especially under lights, as we’ve observed throughout this competition. It’s part of the game and they played exceptionally well. It’s disappointing not to progress further at this stage, but at the same time, you reflect on the seven weeks rather than a couple of isolated moments, and we lost to a superior side,” he responded to a reporter’s inquiry.

Furthermore, Williamson praised India as ‘the best team in the world,’ expressing confidence in their performance heading into the final.

“They’re the best team in the world and they’re all at the top of their game, so it’s tough. In cricket, failure often surrounds the narrative, and it’s about how you cope with it. Their incredible performances throughout this tournament have been consistent. They haven’t missed a beat, and entering a semi-final, you go through your round-robin, and it starts anew. The way they approached and played in this match demonstrates the mindset and form they’re in. I have no doubt they’ll enter the next match brimming with confidence,” stated the Kiwi skipper.

In a thrilling World Cup encounter marred by rain, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson lauded Pakistan and their dynamic opener Fakhar Zaman as “something special.” Pakistan secured a remarkable 21-run win, keeping their World Cup hopes alive.

New Zealand posted an imposing total of 401-6, led by a brilliant century from their emerging talent, Rachin Ravindra, and a resilient 95 from Williamson, who returned to the side after recovering from an injury.

Facing the prospect of World Cup elimination, Pakistan mounted a scintillating response through power-hitting. Fakhar Zaman’s explosive 126 not out off 81 balls, featuring 11 towering sixes and eight boundaries, marked his 11th ODI century. Captain Babar Azam also contributed significantly with an unbeaten 66 off 63 balls.

At the 25.3-over mark, Pakistan had reached 200-1, chasing a revised target of 342 in 41 overs due to rain. At this juncture, the match was called off, with Pakistan leading by 21 runs on the DLS method.

Kane Williamson acknowledged Pakistan’s extraordinary display, stating,

“We saw something special today from Pakistan.”

He praised Zaman’s aggressive batting style and credited Pakistan for their impressive achievement in the match.

Notably, prior to this encounter, only two teams had scored 400 or more runs in an ODI and lost.

New Zealand, now with eight points in as many games, maintain a strong position to secure a semi-final spot, largely due to their superior net run-rate. They face Sri Lanka in their final group match, while Pakistan take on England, concluding the group stage.

Williamson expressed the team’s focused approach and the need to adapt to the evolving situation in their remaining matches, emphasizing that they couldn’t rely on other teams’ results to progress in the tournament.

The New Zealand captain also expressed his relief at returning to the team after overcoming injuries. He mentioned his recent thumb injury following a knee issue but expressed his happiness at being back on the field and playing with the team.