Hosts Pakistan are ousted after Ravindra and Bracewell help New Zealand to a five-wicket win over Bangladesh in Group A.
New Zealand have moved into the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy, taking India along with them after a five-wicket win over Group A opponents Bangladesh.
Chasing 237 for victory on Monday, New Zealand shrugged off the loss of two early wickets and rode Rachin Ravindra’s classy 112 and Tom Latham’s 55 to get home in 46.1 overs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Pakistan.
“He’s doing Rachin things. He loves ICC events and looked like he never left the game,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said of the left-hander, who only came into the side due to Daryl Mitchell’s illness.
“He wasn’t as fluent as he probably would have liked [to be] but when he’s going he’s tough to stop and that partnership with Tom really put us in a good spot.”
Bangladesh earlier squandered a good start and made 236-9 in 50 overs thanks to Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 77 and Jaker Ali’s 45 after Black Caps spinner Michael Bracewell picked up 4-26.
The result meant that defending champions Pakistan joined Bangladesh in being knocked out of the tournament after losing their opening two matches against New Zealand and India.
Pakistan, who won the previous edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017, lost to New Zealand and then India in the first International Cricket Council (ICC) event they are hosting since the 1996 ODI World Cup.
India refused to tour Pakistan for political reasons and instead are playing all their matches in Dubai, which will host the final if the Asian giants go the distance.
New Zealand have been the team to beat in this group after they humbled Pakistan by 60 runs in the tournament opener.
The 1998 champions face India in Dubai on Sunday to determine who tops Group A.
“It’s going to be another challenge on a different surface,” Santner said.
“It looks like it’s a slower pitch than what we’ll get here. We’ll see what happens.”
