The second ODI saw Bangladesh‘s batting order in shambles thanks to the ball-slinging wizard from New Zealand, Ish Sodhi. After the 19th over, captain Lockie Ferguson was forced to briefly withdraw Sodhi from the attack after his four-wicket blitz in his first spell sent shockwaves through the opposition camp. The 30-year-old was far from done, though; in the 30th over, when he returned for his second spell, he secured his first ODI five-wicket haul.
The highlight of this effort was a beguiling googly that demolished Bangladesh’s final recognised batting pair by outwitting Mahedi Hasan. After the game, the right-arm bowler said that Hasan’s wicket was particularly meaningful to him because it represented a delivery he had carefully imagined ever since he improved his run-up to improve his accuracy at the stumps. He admitted that he had changed his tactics to take advantage of his natural height advantage, which included trying to purposefully cause the ball to skid off the ground.
“On slow wickets, I can occasionally sit in the wickets a little bit more. A year ago, I changed my run-up in an effort to incorporate a more skiddy element into my game. No attempt was made to ignore my height as well.
Ish Sodhi stated in an interview with ESPN Cricinfo, “I am trying to utilise it as much as I can.
The solace of spin-friendly pitches for the spinner. Spinners like Ish Sodhi have frequently faced difficulties playing in New Zealand, which is infamous for its lack of spin-friendly wickets. The steadfast cricket player, though, adapted excellently and came up with creative solutions to prosper in such circumstances. The Ludhiana-born player acknowledged that learning the nuances of Bangladeshi pitches took some time, but on venues like Mirpur, he seemed nothing short of a seasoned local, weaving his web with accuracy and cunning.
“Therefore, it’s critical to uncover more strategies for achievement. It’s challenging for me here, of course. The kinds of balls that spin here may not spin in New Zealand. It’s crucial to learn the general appearance of the ball, he said.