Bangladesh register first-ever win against Kiwis in T20Is

Bangladesh registered their first-ever Twenty20 international win against New Zealand as they beat the Black Caps by seven wickets in the first of the five-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday. After folding out a second string New Zealand side for 60 in 16.5 overs – their joint-lowest total in T20Is – the hosts took just 15 overs to reach 62-3 with Mushfiqur Rahim and captain Mahmudullah remaining unbeaten on 16 and 14 respectively.
Skipper Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls made 18 runs each but other than them all other Black Cap batter could not reach the double figure mark and looked clueless against the host bowlers.
Left arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman shone with the ball as he finished with 3-13 while spinner Nasum Ahmed and all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin bagged two wickets each.
Shakib Al Hasan, who was crowned the player-of-the-series against Australia last month, put in an all-round show with 25 runs off 33 deliveries with the and picking up two wickets giving away just 10 runs in his four overs to bag another player-of-the-match award.
For the Kiwis Aijaz patel and debutants Cole McConchie and Rachin Ravindra took one wicket each.
The Black Caps’ innings lost its way inside the first four overs as they were reduced to 9-4 in that time after opting to bat first at the SBNS.
Off-spinner Mahedi began the carnage in the first over by removing Ravindra for a duck on debut and then Shakib bowled Will Young for five and Nasum dismissed Colin de Grandhomme and Tom Blundell for two and one in the same over to leave the tourists in a very difficult spot.
In the fifth wicket stand, Latham and Nicholls added 34 runs that helped Kiwis repair some of the initial loss but the partnership ended when Latham was caught by Nasum off a half volley of Saifuddin for 18 off 25 balls.
Shakib and Saifuddin struck in the next two overs, McConchie gave a catch to Mushfiq off Shakib and became the second debtant to go out for a duck while Nicholls was caught out off Saifuddin for 17 off 24 balls and once again Mushfiq was the catcher.
Later a triple strike from Mustafiz ensured that New Zealand lost their last three wickets for eight runs and were bundled out for less than half of their previous lowest total against the Tigers’, 145, which they scored at the Eden Gardens back in 2016 in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup.
In reply, Bangladesh openers Mohammad Naim and Liton Das departed after scoring just one run each.
But the experienced duo of Shakib and Mushfiq made sure that the hosts didn’t lose their way in the chase, with a crucial 30-run partnership.
Shakib, who was the more aggressive out of the two, struck two boundaries before edging a ball to Latham off Ravindra.
But Mahmudullah then joined Mushfiq and the pair formed an unbeaten 25-run stand to take the team home.
Bangladesh had earlier lost all 10 T20s they played against New Zealand.
The next match will take place on Friday at the same venue.