Vettori warns against complacency ahead of Bangladesh series

WELLINGTON - New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori has asked his players not to be complacent ahead of their five-match one-day cricket series against Bangladesh.

New Zealand scored an easy 3-0 sweep when the two sides met in New Zealand in February, but Vettori said Bangladesh would be a completely different proposition on their own soil.

He said Bangladesh gave a tough fight in the ODI series against England, which they hosted on their return home.

While Bangladesh again went down 3-0, “they pushed them hard the whole series,” NZ Herald quoted him, as saying.

“If we go over there expecting to walk over them like we did here, we’ll be in for a bit of fright. But if we respect them and hopefully play to our potential, then we should beat them,” Vettori said.

New Zealand also wants its players to get familiar with conditions in Bangladesh, which will co-host the World Cup next February and March.

Two of the quarterfinals will be staged at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, where all five matches of the upcoming series will take place.

“We’re going to play games over there during the World Cup and probably important games. We want guys to feel pretty familiar, so when we turn up there on a short stay, World Cup time, they will know what to expect,” Vettori said.

The tour marks the return of Vettori, Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder, who all missed the tri-nations tournament in Sri Lanka in July. (ANI)