Bangladesh cricket team scripted a famous five-wicket win over the Black Caps on Wednesday after the visitors' seamers ran riot in the opening game of a three-match T20I series in Napier. (Scorecard | December 27 Blog | IND Vs RSA Day 2 Live Blog | Cricket News)
This win was Bangladesh's first T20 win on New Zealand soil, and it came just four days after scripting a famous maiden ODI win at the very same venue.
Put into bat first by Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, New Zealand made the worst possible start by losing three wickets before they reached a respectable total of 134 for the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs.
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The home side gave the crowd some hope by scalping some early wickets in the form of opener Rony Talukdar and Shanto. However, veteran batter Litton Das teamed up with another star player from Bangladesh cricket, Soumya Sarkar to steer the Tigers to 96/4 after 13 overs.
Afif Hossain's wicket saw the visitors wobble at 97/5 but Das, who finished the match with 42 not out, survived two close calls and some cramp.
He needed medical treatment for a leg injury at the start of the 18th over when he was 29 and Bangladesh needed 24 from 18 balls. On 33, and with 20 needed from 16 balls, his lofted shot found Ish Sodhi at fine-leg but the fielder stepped over the boundary line in completing a simple catch, giving Das another reprieve.
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Clearly impeded while running between the wickets, Das was able to look on from the non-striker’s end as Mahedi Hasan (19 not out) finished the chase with a six and a four off Adam Milne in the 19th over.
Earlier, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto entrusted the first over to off-spinner Mahedi and the decision paid off when he bowled Tim Seifert with the fourth ball.
“In these conditions spin bowling is hard but I was able to get my execution right,” said Mahedi who was Player of the Match for his all-round performance.
“I hit the right areas in the power play and was able to do a good job for my team. When I bowl well, then I am able to bat confidently and finish the job for my team.”
Seifert went back to a delivery from Mahedi that he tried to dab wide of slip. But the ball kept low, skipped on and hit his middle stump.
Shoriful then followed up his effort in the third one-dayer, where he took three wickets, with a double strike in the second over. Allen threw his hands, without moving his feet, to a ball going across him and was caught at slip.
Next ball Phillips offered no shot to a delivery that struck him on the knee roll in front of middle. New Zealand called for a review but Phillips had begun to walk off the field before the decision was made.
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When Mitchell was bowled by Mahedi, New Zealand was in desperate trouble. Neesham lifted the Black Caps with his 48 from 29 balls, which included four fours and three sixes. But he was out just when the innings seemed to be gaining momentum, at 110-7 in the 17th over.
Shanto (19), Soumya Sarkar (22) and Towhid Hridoy (19) made valuable contributions for Bangladesh but Das held the innings together when it seemed it might falter. Afif Hossain fell to Southee in the 15th over when the visitors were 97-5 and Das had his successful review later in the same over, a turning point in the match.
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Had Das fallen, Bangladesh might have struggled but he survived to the finish. Southee took 1-16 from his four overs.
The second game in the three-match series is at Mount Maunganui on Friday.
(With AP inputs)
