Match: New Zealand v Bangladesh, 3rd ODI
Date: 31 December, Saturday
Time: 6am SGT/3:30am IST/10pm GMT (Friday)
Venue: Saxton Oval, Nelson
TV Channel: In Singapore, there is no live TV coverage of the match.
Live streaming: Sky Go
Overview
New Zealand have already sealed the three-match series after winning the first two One Day Internationals by comprehensive margins. Nelson will thus host a dead-rubber on Saturday but Bangladesh still have a lot to play for in the third ODI.
A win on Saturday be a morale booster for Mashrafe Mortaza's men, who would want to finish 2016 with a positive result and take some confidence before they head into the three-match Twenty20 series, starting 3 January.
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Also, the scorecards of the first two ODIs does not tell us the complete stories as well. Bangladesh were outplayed on both occasions but there were moments, which Bangladesh missed to take advantage off. In Christchurch, New Zealand, after opting to bat first were in a bit of trouble when they lost quick wickets to slip to 158/4. However, Tom Latham and Colin Munro stitched a 158-run stand to box the visitors out of the game.
On Thursday, the Tigers were 105/1 in chase of 252 against the hosts. The bowlers did all the hardwork in Nelson to restrict New Zealand but a collapse triggered by an unwanted runout of Sabbir Rahman triggered the collapse as Mashrafe's men lost their last nine wickets for 79 runs.
Top-order's inconsistency along with batting failures of Mahmudullah has hurt Bangladesh and they will be better served if he can step up, especially in the absence of injured Mushfiqur Rahim. Also, off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz, who picked up 19 wickets in two Tests against England earlier this year, might make his ODI debut.
New Zealand, on the other hand, looked a settled unit with the likes of Latham, Munro and Neil Bloom performing with the bat. They have recalled off-spinner Jeetan Patel and he is likely to replace Trent Boult in the squad. Kane Williamson's men would want to make it 3-0 and avoid their first-ever defeat to Bangladesh.
TV Schedule
Bangladesh: BTV
New Zealand: Sky Sport 1
Pakistan: PTV Sports
Middle East: OSN Sports
UK: Sky Sports 2
Sri Lanka: TNL TV
US: Willow TV
Team News
New Zealand
Possible XI: Williamson (c), Guptill, Latham, Broom, Neesham, Munro, Ronchi (wk), Santner, Southee, Ferguson, Patel
Bangladesh
Possible XI: Mashrafe (c), Tamim, Kayes, Mahmudullah, Shakib, Nurul (wk), Sabbir, Mosaddek, Mehedi, Mortaza, Subhasis
