Bangladesh 'A' secure dominant seven wicket win over New Zealand 'A' in first ODI
After winning the toss and opting to field, Bangladesh's bowlers made early inroads, sending four New Zealand batsmen back to the dressing room without scoring.
Bangladesh 'A' team put on a clinical performance to defeat New Zealand 'A' by 7 wickets in the first match of their 50-over series. A dominant bowling display, led by pacers Khaled Ahmed and Shariful Islam, dismantled the New Zealand top order, leaving them with a modest target to chase.
After winning the toss and opting to field, Bangladesh's bowlers made early inroads, sending four New Zealand batsmen back to the dressing room without scoring. Khaled Ahmed was the key figure, claiming two wickets in consecutive deliveries, while Shariful Islam took two more in the early overs. The visitors were reeling at 18 for 4 within the first 7 overs.
Tanvir Islam continued the pressure, dismissing opener Raius Mariu (4 runs from 17 balls) and Mitch Hayne (3 runs from 12 balls), while also bowling out Christian Clarke for a duck. At this point, New Zealand had lost five wickets without any runs on the board, leaving them struggling at 45 for 9.
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Dean Foxcroft, who top-scored for New Zealand with a resilient 72 runs off 64 balls, including 6 fours and 4 sixes, provided some resistance, helping them to a total of 147 runs. Despite his efforts, the Kiwi innings fell apart under the weight of the Bangladesh attack, with Khaled and Tanvir each picking up three wickets, while Ebadat Hossain claimed two.
In response, Bangladesh lost early wickets in their chase, with Naeem Sheikh (18 off 20 balls) and Parvez Hossain (24 off 12 balls) both falling cheaply. However, a 55-run partnership between Enamul Haque and Mahidul Islam steered the team closer to the target.
Enamul was dismissed for 38 runs off 45 balls, but Mahidul remained composed, finishing unbeaten on 42 runs off 61 balls, guiding Bangladesh to a comfortable 7-wicket victory. The win puts Bangladesh 'A' in a strong position as they head into the second match of the series.
Bangladesh 'A' will look to build on this performance in the upcoming games, while New Zealand will aim to bounce back and level the series.
