Simmons Predicts High-Scoring Game Between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Rawalpindi

Bangladesh head coach, Phil Simmons, is confident that the upcoming match between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Rawalpindi will be a high-scoring affair. While Bangladesh could only manage 228 runs in their opening game against India, Simmons believes that to win in Rawalpindi, they will need to score over 300 runs.

He expressed, "We are confident that our batters can score 300 runs against New Zealand's bowling attack." Simmons also acknowledged that New Zealand would go into the match as the favorites, given their victory in the Tri-Nation Series and their win over the host nation Pakistan in the opening match of the Champions Trophy. Moreover, New Zealand is familiar with the conditions and wickets in Rawalpindi, having spent nearly a month in Pakistan.

However, Simmons remains hopeful that Bangladesh will benefit from their previous success in Rawalpindi. Last year, Bangladesh achieved a remarkable whitewash victory over Pakistan in a Test series on the same ground, which has boosted the team's confidence.

"The win against Pakistan was not an easy one, but we did it, and it has had a positive effect on our mentality," said Simmons.

Despite New Zealand’s strong form, Simmons is optimistic about Bangladesh’s chances. "This is a competition between the top eight teams in the world, and every match will be tough. Yes, they are playing well, but tomorrow is a new day. We will try to prevent them from playing as well as they have been," he added.

Simmons also emphasized that Rawalpindi is a high-scoring ground, citing the recent matches in Lahore. "We have scored over 300 runs in several of our last five matches, so we know it's possible. If we get off to a good start, we can definitely reach 300," he concluded.