DHAKA, Feb 23, 2025 (BSS) - New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner refused to take Bangladesh lightly, stating that the Tigers are capable of upsetting any team on their day.

“It’s a team we're not taking lightly for sure. We know we've got to be on, and on these big events, they can upset any team on their day. So hopefully it's not us,” Santner said during the pre-match conference in Rawalpindi today. 

Santner’s side will take on Bangladesh in their second game of the Champions Trophy tomorrow (Monday) at Rawalpindi Cricket tadium in Pakistan.

New Zealand made a good start to the tournament by sealing a 60-run win over hosts Pakistan while Bangladesh would come into the game with a six-wicket defeat to India.

While a victory would propel New Zealand to the semifinal, for Bangladesh a defeat may lead to an early exit. Santner, therefore, wants his players not to stay relaxed, as warned his side against the complacency. 

 “They've got obviously Rishad coming in who's a very good leg spinner. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has done it. Mahmudullah if he plays can offer some good overs as well so I think their balance is good at the moment,” he added.
 
They have guys who can attack with the bat as well. I mean Hridoy played a great innings last game (against India) and same, Jaker Ali's come on and done a lot of good stuff already, he added.

Santner, a spin-all-rounder, also laid emphasis on applying plan and just do it for a long time.

“I think they're a very good team at the moment..I think they've always had the spin department covered, but now they've got some very good quick bowlers coming through,” Santner said.

“Taskin’s done it for a long time now. And the Fiz [Mustafizur Rahman], we know how good the Fiz can be. And they've got some, you know - Rana - some quicks coming through,” he said, adding that Bangladesh are also bolstered with some destructive batters, who could relish the flat track of Rawalpindi.

“Then we know they have some destructive players in their line-up as well.”

Bangladesh and New Zealand met quite regularly in this format, so players of both team know each other well, said Santner.

“We've played them a lot home and away, so I think we're quite familiar and they're obviously pretty familiar with us as well,” Santner said.

“I think there's obviously understanding of how the opposition want to operate on these services and, yeah, I guess applying our plans and just doing it for a long time,” he added.

The two teams last met in December, 2023 when Bangladesh toured New Zealand for a three-match series. Bangladesh lost the series by 2-1 but the victory they secured was their maiden win in this format on New Zealand soil. 

Bangladesh steamrolled New Zealand by nine wickets in this match after bowling them out for just 98. Since then they will meet for the first time. 

“We've got a few plans for Bangladesh, but I think we obviously - we have to wait and see what the wicket does,” Santner remarked.

If it is pretty flat I think it is probably similar stuff to what we've been operating in Karachi (during series against Pakistan ahead of the Champions Trophy), Santner said. 

“I think traditionally it's quite a high scoring ground so we have to be on it then with the bat, we just talk about trying to build partnerships and do that out there,” he assessed.