Michael Bracewell is delivering a world-class all-around performance in New Zealand’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 encounter with Bangladesh at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The off-spinner has already taken four pivotal wickets and supplemented his contribution with a miraculous act of fielding, aiding the Black Caps to further entrench their dominance in the game.
The turning point arrived in the 38th over when William O’Rourke sent Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto packing, who was organizing his team’s fightback with a gritty innings. O’Rourke delivered a short ball, tempting Shanto into a pull shot. However, he could only get a top edge, and the ball soared in the air.
Battering in from the mid-on region, Bracewell covered a long distance before completing a breathtaking effort with a sliding catch. Bracewell’s action brought an end to Shanto’s gritty knock of 77 off 110 balls, studded with nine boundaries, to leave Bangladesh reeling.
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Michael Bracewell had already established the tone in the earlier part of the match, getting New Zealand’s first strike. He delivered a full ball on middle stump, tempting Tanzid Hasan into playing an attacking shot. The batter inside-edged the ball, and Kane Williamson displayed his quick reflexes, diving to the left to finish a breathtaking catch.
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The off-spinner continued his dominance, bowling Towhid Hridoy out with a well-flighted ball outside off. Hridoy tried an ambitious lofted shot over extra cover but completely mistimed it. Williamson again demonstrated his brilliance in the field, running back and taking a great catch over his shoulder.
Bracewell wasn’t finished yet. He lured Mushfiqur Rahim into a slog-sweep with a tossed-up ball outside off, but the Bangladesh veteran mis-timed it horribly. Rachin Ravindra settled in nicely under the ball at deep mid-wicket, returning Mushfiqur for only 2 runs.
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The one-man army took his fourth wicket when he bowled Mahmudullah for 4 runs. Mahmudullah, attempting to drive down the ground, got an outside edge to a nicely tossed-up ball, and O’Rourke could not afford to make a mistake off an easy catch at short third man. Both in the field and with the ball, Bracewell has been the match-winner, taking New Zealand to a dominating position.
