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[Saba Sports News] New Zealand leveled their Test series with Bangladesh following a decisive win in the second Test at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. This victory came after a loss in the first Test in Sylhet.
New Zealand captain Tim Southee praised his team’s performance but criticized the pitch, calling it the “worst wicket” he’s encountered, highlighting its heavy bias towards spinners and the short duration of the match.
“There are a number of ways I could describe that wicket. I think for the match to be all over in 170 overs is a fair reflection on the wicket. It wasn’t great. I think there wasn’t an even battle between bat and ball. Probably the worst wicket I’ve come across in my career,” Southee shared. “I think when you come to this part of the world, especially for us, the conditions are so foreign, particularly this Test match, very foreign to what we’re used to, and I guess to lose the toss as well, and then to come out on top on a wicket like that was very pleasing. Like I say, a number of different guys have stepped up in different ways, and it’s nice to bounce back after the first test.”
On the other hand, Bangladesh’s Najmul Hossain Shanto defended such pitches, arguing that the team’s batting shortcomings made the pitch appear worse than it was. He emphasized the importance of preparing similar wickets for domestic cricket to mirror conditions found in international matches.
“When we play Tests, we are not here to improve. This is not a place for practice. We are trying to win the Test. It is important that we prepare to win the Test, but we should definitely take this type of advantage. We can prepare in first-class cricket by trying out good wickets. We should prepare wickets like these and wickets like away conditions in NCL [National Cricket League] or BCL [Bangladesh Cricket League],” Shanto said.
Following the Test series, the teams will compete in a three-match ODI series, starting with the first ODI at Dunedin’s University Oval on December 17.