Bangladesh stun New Zealand again to lead series 2-0
Mahmudullah was adjudged player of the match for his important contribution in the middle-order.
Bangladesh beat New Zealand by four runs in a thrilling encounter at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur and went up 2-0 in the ongoing five-match series. There were important contributions from Mahmudullah, Mohammad Naim and Liton Das with the bat and the spinners later defended 141 successfully.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham had spinners open the bowling from both ends. Colin de Grandhomme dropped Liton on 2 at square leg off Cole McConchie's bowling in the second over.
Bangladesh did pretty well in the powerplay considering the conditions, scoring 36 for no loss.
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Liton added 59 off 9.2 overs with Mohammad Naim before he was chopped on in a rather unfortunate fashion. Rachin Ravindra accounted for his wicket. Liton made 33 off 29 balls.
One brought two for New Zealand as Ravindra had Mushfiqur Rahim stumped first ball.
Shakib Al Hasan walked out to bat at number four with a positive mindset. The southpaw struck two boundaries off McConchie. But the off-spinner had the last laugh as Shakib holed out to long-off. Ben Sears took a good catch. Bangladesh were 72 for three after 11.
Mahmudullah and Naim kept the scoreboard moving after Shakib's departure and Bangladesh were 103 for three off 15 overs, looking well-set for a total of 145 or more.
Mahmudullah and Nurul Hasan then scored 24 off the final two overs and powered Bangladesh to 141 for six. Mahmudullah was unbeaten on 37 off 32 balls. Rachin Ravindra took three wickets for the Black Caps.
Shakib Al Hasan got the first breakthrough in the third over, getting rid of opener Ravindra. The southpaw hit a straight six off Shakib but was bowled the very next ball.
Ravindra's opening partner Blundell perished in the next over too, leaving New Zealand in trouble at 18 for two.
Latham and Will Young put on a 43-run partnership for the third wicket and just when the partnership started to look threatening, Shakib got the better of Young in the 11th over.
Nasum Ahmed sent back the experienced Colin de Grandhomme in the 15th over and New Zealand required 54 off the last five overs with six wickets in hand and the well-set Latham in the crease.
Latham could've been dismissed in the third ball of the 19th over had Nurul Hasan, the wicketkeeper, not knocked the bails off before gathering the ball.
Saifuddin conceded only eight off the penultimate over and Mustafizur was entrusted with the responsibility of defending 20 off the last over.
Mustafizur conceded just seven off the first four balls and New Zealand needed 13 off two balls to win. There was a twist in the tale as the left-arm seamer missed his length and bowled a no-ball for height and Latham somehow sent it to the boundary. All of a sudden the equation came down to eight off two balls.
But Mustafizur held his nerves and didn't give away more than three runs off the two balls. Latham played a superb knock of 65 off 49 in a losing cause.
Mahmudullah was adjudged player of the match for his important contribution in the middle-order.
Brief scores:
- BAN 141/6 (20)
- NZ 137/5 (20)
- Bangladesh won by 4 runs
- Player of the match: Mahmudullah Riyad
