Last Updated on 10 months by Charbel Coorey
Cricket News: BAN vs NZ 2nd Test Twitter Reactions: Glenn Phillips, Mitch Santner lead New Zealand to win | Reactions to New Zealand’s win in Mirpur
New Zealand have pulled off an excellent victory in the second Test against Bangladesh at Mirpur, salvaging the series after the 150-run defeat in Sylhet. Glenn Phillips, who was deservedly named player of the match, followed up his gamechanging 87 in the first innings with another gamechanging 40* in the run chase to seal a four-wicket win alongside all-rounder Mitchell Santner who also played a fine hand for his 35*.
The pair took the attacking approach on a difficult Mirpur surface that offered plenty of turn and uneven bounce. After Santner walked in with New Zealand in the depths of 69/6, he and Phillips put on 70 in just 12.5 overs, asking plenty of questions that the Bangladeshis couldn’t answer.
“The intent was there. If I can get the bowlers off the length, it’s going to be easier,” said Phillips in the post-match presentation. “Mitchell [Santner] also batted really well. He’s got amazing hands, such a fluent player. Credit to him and all the boys.”
For Bangladesh, they missed a golden opportunity to win their first-ever Test series against New Zealand. It is the second near miss at Mirpur in just under a year after Shreyas Iyer and Ravichandran Ashwin combined for a 71-run partnership to seal a 145-run chase on a similarly tricky pitch on Christmas Day in 2022.
In the end, Bangladesh’s ploy for a rank turner worked against them after their exploits on the slower Sylhet pitch last week. It brought New Zealand’s spinners well and truly into the game, and they enjoyed the help. Earlier, Ajaz Patel found plenty of assistance bowling on this surface, taking 6/57 to help knock Bangladesh over for 144 despite Zakir Hasan’s fighting 59. Mitch Santner also took six wickets in the Test.
BAN vs NZ 2nd Test Twitter Reactions: Joy for New Zealand, deja vu for Bangladesh
Fans and pundits reacted to the close finish. They were full of praise for Glenn Phillips in particular, who scored 87 and 40* with the bat, and took 3/31 with the ball in Bangladesh’s first innings.
