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After the series opener lost against the hosts, Bangladesh are eyeing a comeback in the second match of the three-match ODI series at Saxton Oval in Nelson today (Wednesday), report agencies.

Ahead of the crucial clash, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha expressed optimism about the good weather conditions in Nelson and their desire to level the series. He acknowledged their batting shortcomings in the rain-affected first match, where top-order starts weren't converted into substantial scores.

"The wicket looks good for cricket," Chandika said. "The outfield is great and fast."

Bangladesh's white-ball cricket has never known victory in New Zealand. Before this series, stand-in captain Najmul Hossain Shanto declared their intention to rewrite history.

However, bad weather was blamed by Chandika for disrupting their plans in the first match. "We got a good start, but the rain ruined our plan. We have no control over the weather," he asserted.

The absence of regular captain Shakib Al Hasan is a significant void. Injured and involved in election campaigning for the next general election, Shakib's leadership and all-round skills are sorely missed.

Hathurusingha echoed the same sentiment, though he added that it would not fair to expect Soumya to what the ace all-rounder has been doing all these years for his country.

"He (Soumya) can't do what Shakib is doing, but we are expecting him to bowl and bat and basically we are looking at him as an all-rounder," Hathurusingha told reporters ahead of the second game at Nelson.

"Bangladesh teams for last 15 years were used to having Shakib and we are finding it hard to make a combination and that's why he (Soumya) is very important for us as an all-rounder to make up our XI," he said, adding that he is not sure why Soumya is failing to score runs despite being in good touch at domestic level.

Soumya, who dropped two catches in the opening game, made a duck while giving away 63 runs in six overs that he bowled without any success. In the last five ODIs his scores read 0, 32,1,0,0.

Rishad Hossain, a leg spinner with handy batting ability, might be considered for the next match. Chandika hinted at Rishad's potential inclusion in the first game but ultimately opted for a different combination.

The match will start at 4:00 am (Bangladesh Time).