‘Going nowhere if we continue like this’

"You can have the best coaches in the world, but the players need to understand what to do and what not to do. We are not consistent in overseas conditions as a team and as individual players. We have to find a way to fix it," dejected Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal said after hosts New Zealand completed a 3-0 whitewash at the Basin Reserve in Wellington yesterday.

Despite putting up a fight in the second ODI with a better approach following a hammering in the first ODI, Bangladesh repeated old mistakes in every department in another 164-runs loss yesterday.

Although Bangladesh made a good start with the ball, poor catching behind the wickets from Mushfiqur Rahim was once again a problem. Although not as simple as the dropped chance off Jimmy Neesham in the second ODI, it once again deflated an impressive Taskin Rahman when Mushfiq dropped opener Henry Nicholls after getting a glove on the ball.  Mustafizur Rahman also dropped a simple chance of Ross Taylor off the bowling of Rubel Hossain.

Fortunately for the Tigers, both Nicholls and Taylor departed in the same over as the reprieves and the hosts were 57 for 3 after 11 overs.

But since then, Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell added 159 runs for the fifth wicket, laying the foundation for a big total, helped by some wayward bowling.

Conway and Mitchell registered their maiden ODI hundreds and the latter could count himself lucky after Mushfiqur fumbled a return when the right-hander was sprinting for his century off the final ball of the innings as New Zealand posted 318 for six.

There is a lot to improve for the Tigers and Tamim said if things continue in this manner, Bangladesh are going nowhere.

"I thought the first and the last game, we were nowhere close to them [New Zealand]. I thought they played exceptionally well. We are a much better team [than this] but if we continue to play like this, we are going nowhere. We understand that conditions are diffferent than back home, but we have to improve a lot to compete with them.

"If you take out the second game, we never looked to be competing with them, which is very disappointing. I said before the series that I had high hopes. I thought we definitely had a chance. We did get a chance in the second game but overall, it was a disappointing series for us. We didn't play well," he said.

Bangladesh's batting once again displayed no aggression and fighting instinct as they struggled to tackle the Kiwi seamers despite the pitch remaining sporting.

Tamim, Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das departed early and the visitors were 26 for three but the way Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur dealt with the situation was even more disappointing. Consolidating, they brough Bangladesh's run rate below three runs per over, but then got out, leaving the side in further trouble.

Mahmudullah Riyad's unbeaten 76-run knock was the only consolation as the Tigers were bundled out for 154 in 42.4 overs.

"We had way too many soft dismissals today [Friday]. You know the new ball will do something in New Zealand. You just have to hang in tight. The perfect example was the last game. We only scored 25 or 26 in the first 10 overs but we cashed in in the next 20 overs. We didn't allow ourselves the chance to bat deep," he said.

With less than two days to go to start the first of the three match T20I series in Hamilton Bangladesh can't afford to look back and start afresh.