New Zealand opener Will Young acknowledged the challenging contest against Bangladesh in the third ODI match on Saturday, expressing disappointment over the team’s nine-wicket loss in Napier. Despite the defeat, Young highlighted the series win and discussed the difficulties faced in the match during the post-match presentation.
Reflecting on the tough encounter, Young remarked, “It was tough work. It’s a shame that the sun is finally shining; it would have been nice to make more of a game of it. Series win in the end, we’d take that.” He acknowledged the challenging conditions, with the pitch offering pace, swing, and occasional uneven bounce, making it tough for the Kiwi batsmen.
Young, who contributed 26 runs from 43 balls in the match, expressed his satisfaction at getting an opportunity in the ODI format after being on the sidelines during the India tour. He emphasized the importance of making the most of opportunities, especially in a competitive series.
Recapping the match, Bangladesh’s decision to bowl first proved effective as their bowlers, including Shoriful Islam, Tanzim, and Soumya Sarkar, put up an outstanding performance, restricting New Zealand to 98/10 by the 32nd over. Young and skipper Tom Latham were the only notable contributors for the home side.
In the run chase of 99 runs, Bangladesh dominated from the outset. Despite Soumya Sarkar retiring hurt, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto’s impressive 51-run innings ensured an early victory for the visitors by the start of the 16th over. Tanzim, who gave away only 14 runs in his seven-over spell, was named the ‘Player of the Match,’ while Will Young, the top run-scorer of the series with 220 runs from three innings, received the ‘Player of the Series’ accolade.