Bangladesh Makes History with First-Ever T20I Win in New Zealand

Bangladesh Starts T20 Leg with Historic Win

Bangladesh made history once again by securing their first-ever T20 International (T20I) victory in New Zealand, just three days after their maiden ODI win. The thrilling match took place in Napier, with Bangladesh displaying exceptional skills with both bat and ball to clinch a convincing win.

Opting to bowl first, Bangladesh's bowlers delivered a stellar performance, restricting New Zealand to a modest 134/9 total. Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan were the stars of the bowling attack, sharing a five-wicket haul. The early collapse of the New Zealand batting order, stumbling to 1 for 3, set the stage for Bangladesh's remarkable triumph.

Mahedi Hasan struck in the very first over, dismissing Tim Seifert with a perfectly executed delivery. Shoriful Islam then showcased his talent, claiming two vital wickets in quick succession. Finn Allen fell to an edge, while Glenn Phillips was trapped lbw. Mahedi Hasan returned to remove Daryl Mitchell with a delivery that beat his defenses. Mark Chapman, however, displayed notable resilience in the final over of the PowerPlay, guiding New Zealand to 36/4 by the end of six overs.

Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner provided a glimmer of hope for New Zealand, forging a crucial partnership of 41 runs for the sixth wicket. This partnership was the highest of the New Zealand innings, causing some concern for the Bangladeshi team. Nonetheless, Shoriful Islam eventually broke the stand by dismissing Santner, caught by Soumya Sarkar at mid-wicket.

Neesham, who top-scored with a valiant 48 off 29 deliveries, seemed poised to elevate New Zealand to a competitive score. However, Mustafizur Rahman intervened just as Neesham unleashed a flurry of boundaries, taking his wicket and halting New Zealand's momentum. Mustafizur then bowled an outstanding 19th over, conceding a mere one run and preventing New Zealand from reaching a par total.

Bangladesh faced a shaky start during their chase, losing Rony Talukdar and Nazmul Hossain Shanto in the PowerPlay. Nevertheless, the achievable target allowed Litton Das (42 not out off 36) to anchor the innings with patience. Soumya Sarkar joined him and took an aggressive approach, contributing a crucial 22 off 15 balls. Sarkar's dismissal by Ben Sears did not hinder Bangladesh's progress, as Towhid Hridoy and Mahedi Hasan calmly guided the team to a well-deserved victory.

This historic win for Bangladesh marks another significant milestone in their impressive tour of New Zealand. Buoyed by these successes, Bangladesh will aim to build upon their momentum as the series progresses.