In a captivating T20 encounter, Bangladesh emerged victorious against New Zealand, securing a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The chase of 135 appeared challenging momentarily, but opener Litton Das played a crucial role in steering Bangladesh to triumph in Napier.
Litton Das, the anchor of Bangladesh's innings, showcased composure as he witnessed his fellow batsmen making starts but losing their wickets prematurely. It was when Mahedi Hasan joined him at No. 7 that Litton seized the opportunity, accelerating from 29 in 32 balls to an unbeaten 42 off 36 balls.
The key to Bangladesh's success, however, lay in their bowlers, who restricted New Zealand to a below-par total on the two-paced Napier surface. Shoriful Islam's early double-wicket over set the tone, securing him figures of 3 for 26, while Mustafizur Rahman's variations earned him 2 for 15 in four overs.
Mahedi Hasan played a pivotal role, contributing both with the ball and the bat. His early wicket triggered New Zealand's batting collapse, and he later partnered with Litton when Bangladesh faced a potential downturn, finishing with an unbeaten 19 off 16 balls.
Shoriful, Mahedi, Mustafizur Shine
New Zealand's early struggles were evident as Shoriful and Mahedi wreaked havoc with the new ball. Mahedi's off-spin dismissed Tim Seifert in the first over, while Shoriful's full delivery found the edge of Finn Allen's bat, leading to a first-ball lbw dismissal of Glenn Phillips. Daryl Mitchell's attempt to play inside-out off Mahedi resulted in his stumps being rattled, leaving New Zealand reeling at 20 for 4.
Although Shoriful conceded a few boundaries later in the innings, he had the last laugh by dismissing Mitchell Santner. Mustafizur, initially wicketless, returned to halt James Neesham's momentum, ultimately finishing with figures of 2 for 15. The combined efforts of Shoriful, Mahedi, and Mustafizur restricted New Zealand to 134 for 9.
Bangladesh's Confident Chase
In response, Bangladesh faced an early setback when Rony Talukdar fell to Adam Milne's pace. Najmul Hossain Shanto's aggressive approach yielded 19 runs but contributed to his downfall as he attempted to pull Neesham. Soumya Sarkar's dismissal further added to the drama, leaving Bangladesh at 58 for 3.
However, Towhid Hridoy and Litton Das steadied the ship with a 29-run partnership, guiding Bangladesh toward the target. Despite losing Hridoy and Afif Hossain in quick succession, Litton Das stood firm. The game-changing 14-run over against Ben Sears released the pressure, and Mahedi Hasan sealed the win by hitting a six and two boundaries.
The victory marked Bangladesh's first T20I win against New Zealand in New Zealand and their first triumph in Napier in three attempts. As the series moves to Mount Maunganui for the remaining two games, Bangladesh carries the momentum from this thrilling encounter.
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