KARACHI, FEBRUARY 24
New Zealand sealed a semifinal spot in the Champions Trophy after cruising past Bangladesh by five wickets on the back of Rachin Ravindra's century on Monday.
The victory with nearly four overs to spare also advanced India to the semifinals and eliminated tournament host and defending champion Pakistan and Bangladesh from contention.
Ravindra took a blow on the forehead in a game 16 days ago and missed the last three one-day internationals, but recovered to strike 112 off 105 balls and carry New Zealand to 240-5 in 46.1 overs in reply to Bangladesh's 236-9.
Bangladesh's middle order capitulated against the off-spin of Michael Bracewell, who took 4-26 in 10 overs. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto led with 77. The 25 extras were the fourth highest tally in the innings.
Ravindra stands tall
Fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed (1-28) and Nahid Rana (1-43) jolted New Zealand to 15-2 when Will Young, who made a century against Pakistan, went for a duck and Kane Williamson fell for rare consecutive single-digit scores in ODIs, 5 after 1.
Taskin clean-bowled Young with a nip-backer into the right-hander and Williamson edged the tall Rana, whom New Zealand batters were facing for the first time in an international.
But Ravindra combined with Devon Conway to revive the chase. They shared 57 in 12 overs before Pakistan's third pace bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, got Conway to chop on on 30.
Tom Latham (55) then joined Ravindra and they shared a match-winning 129-run stand.
The left-handers thwarted the pace of Nahid and were equally good against the spin of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rishad Hossain.
Ravindra, who batted at No. 4 in place of Daryl Mitchell, got a lucky escape on 93 when Miraz couldn't hold onto a sharp low catch at point. He completed his fourth ODI century off 95 balls with 11 fours and a six.
Ravindra was dropped again after his century by Mahmudullah at mid-on, and the batter finally holed out in the deep to give Rishad his only wicket.
Latham was run out for 55, his third consecutive half-century, when New Zealand was just 23 runs shy of the target.
Bracewell baffles batters
Bracewell squeezed Bangladesh after its promising start in his unchanged 10-over spell. The off-spinner bowled 43 dot balls and conceded just one six and a boundary.
Shanto struggled to up the ante in his 110-ball knock as he couldn't accelerate against Bracewell, who struck off his second ball when captain Mitchell Santner introduced the off-spinner inside the powerplay.
Tanzid Hasan (24) got Bangladesh going with a 45-run opening stand with Shanto before Williamson made a diving catch as the batter tried to play Bracewell across the line.
Bracewell dried up the runs and strangled the middle order with his deceptive pace, dismissing Towhid Hridoy (7), Mushfiqur Rahim (2) and Mahmudullah (4) cheaply.
Hridoy, who scored a century against India in the first match, was brilliantly snapped up by Williamson over his shoulder when he ran backwards from cover.
Bracewell caught Shanto after he top-edged O'Rourke.
Jaker Ali (45) and Rishad Hossain (26) counterattacked against the pace, but New Zealand allowed them only 64 runs in the last 10 overs.
On Tuesday, South Africa and Australia, which won their opening Group B games, face each other at the same venue.
