Bangladesh vs New Zealand, 1st Test: Fantasy XI Prediction, Top Captaincy And Vice-Captaincy Picks

Bangladesh host New Zealand in the first of the two-match Test series 2023, starting Tuesday, November 28 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM IST. The Bangladesh cricket team will be led by Najmul Hossain Shanto in the absence of the regular skipper Shakib Al Hasan. Although Bangladesh will begin as the underdogs against the 2021 World Test champions, an upset can't be ruled out in the two-match Test series with home advantage.

The two teams will also be playing their first matches in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025 cycle.

New Zealand enter the Test series following their semi-final run in the recently concluded ODI World Cup 2023. While they triumphed over Bangladesh en route to the last four, the team led by Tim Southee is set to encounter a different challenge in the longer format of the game.

Pitch report

The pitch at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will benefit the spinners. The average score by the team batting first in the last 10 matches at the venue is 282.

Batting first should be the preferred option at this stadium.

Weather conditions

The temperature at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium is predicted to be 26 degree Celsius with 49 per cent humidity.

Predicted playing XI

Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Zakir Hasan (wk), Mominul Haque, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Khaled Ahmed, Taijul Islam

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (wk), Henry Nicholls, Tim Southee (c), Ajaz Patel, Mitchell Santner, Neil Wagner

BAN vs NZ Fantasy XI

Wicket-keepers: Tom Latham

Batters: Kane Williamson, Daryl