The world’s best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was not in the team. There was no country’s best opener Tamim Iqbal or experienced all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad. Najmul Hossain Shanto, who got the leadership a few days ago, got the achievement that even the successful captains of Bangladesh could not get in the last 16 years. Under his leadership, Bangladesh won the Kiwi fortress for the first time in white ball cricket under the power of the pacers.
On Saturday (December 23), the Tigers secured a big 9-wicket win to avoid a whitewash. Chasing 99 runs, the representatives of red and green won after losing 1 wicket with 34.5 overs in hand. The three-game ODI series was ended by a score of 2-1.
Tiger pacers Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Shakib, and Soumya Sarkar took 3 wickets each. Shanto left the field after winning the team by 51 runs unbeaten.
Bangladesh got their first taste of victory in the impregnable Kiwi fortress in December last year. But that was in Test cricket. This time the representatives of red and green won the white ball cricket as well. That too after 18 ODIs and 9 T20Is in the history of the last 16 years.
On this day, the Kiwis were bowled out for only 98 runs in 31.4 overs under the power of Tanzim Shakib, Shoriful, and Soumya. This was their fourth-lowest total in ODIs against their opponents at home. After losing the toss, Kiwi openers Will Young and Rachin Ravindra batted cautiously. But that lasted till 3.5 overs. Because at the end of the fourth over, pacer Tanzim Shakib crushed all the warnings of the Kiwis. Another pacer Shoriful joined him.
New Zealand lost their first wicket for 16 runs. In the last ball of the fourth over, opener Rachin Ravindra was sent back by pacer Tanjim Shakib. The Kiwi got out for 8 runs off 12 balls.
Henry Nicholls came to the wicket after Rachin. Shakib also sent this batsman who played the match-winning innings in the second ODI. Nicholls got out with just 1 run in 7.2 overs caught by Shanto off Shakib. After that, captain Tom Latham made a partnership of 36 runs from 55 balls with Young. However, Shoriful did not let them go far.
Latham (21 runs off 34 balls) was bowled directly by pacer Shoriful at 16.3 overs. Meanwhile, opener Young was adamant at the other end even though wickets fell one after another. Shoriful brought him back and brought relief to the Bangladesh camp. He sent the Kiwi opener, who scored 26 runs off 43 balls at 18.4 overs, to a catch by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Shoriful then bowled Mark Chapman who scored 2 runs at 20.2 overs.
Shakib’s third and Bangladesh’s sixth victim was Tom Blundell who scored 4 runs off 17 balls. After Shoriful-Tanjim, Shanta brought in Soumya. He picked up the wickets of Josh Clarkson (16 runs off 23 balls) and Adam Milne (4 runs off 20 balls). He bowled out both of them directly after attacking in two consecutive overs. After that, Soumya returned Aditya Ashok (10 runs from 12 balls). Ashok returned with a catch by Mushfiq at 30.4 overs.
After Ashok, New Zealand got a chance to play 6 more balls. However, Jacob Duffy and William O’Rourke could not get more than 1 run from those 6 balls. In the end, Mustafiz ended the innings by bowling out William ORourke.
Bangladesh started chasing an easy target. However, Soumya, who played an epic innings of 169 runs in the previous match, could not stay at the crease due to eye problems. In the fifth over of the innings, he had some eye problems. He indicated that he could not see properly. He also gave water to his eyes. But it didn’t work. Then call the physio. His eye drops are monitored. But the problem was not solved. Soumya, who scored 4 runs in 16 balls, was forced to leave the crease.
After that, captain Shanto ensured the victory of the team with opener Anamul Haque Bijay. Both continued to bat aggressively. Both of them picked up 69 runs in 9 overs. When Bangladesh was only 15 runs away from victory, Bijay was edged by O’Rourke’s length ball. He scored 37 runs off 33 balls with 7 fours before getting out. Standing at the other end, Shanto picked up the eighth fifty of his ODI career. He left the field after securing the team’s victory in an unbeaten innings of 51 runs with 8 fours from 42 balls. On the other side of the crease, Liton Das was unbeaten with 1 run from 2 balls. Chasing 99 runs, Bangladesh’s victory was confirmed in 15.1 overs, with 34.5 overs in hand.
New Zealand – 98/10 (31.4)
Bangladesh – 99/1 (15.1)
Result – Bangladesh won by 9 wickets
Player of the match – Tanzim Hasan Sakib
Player of the series – Will Young
Will Young
New Zealand | Tom Latham (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Adam Milne, Josh Clarkson, Adithya Ashok, Henry Nicholls, Jacob Duffy, Will Young, William ORourke. |
Bangladesh | Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Anamul Haque, Towhid Hridoy, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Litton Das, Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Mustafizur Rahman |
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