Bangladesh stuns New Zealand with historic 5-wicket victory in T20 Opener
Bangladesh secured a historic five-wicket win over New Zealand in the opening match of their three-game Twenty20 series on Wednesday.
The victory marked Bangladesh’s maiden Twenty20 win on New Zealand soil, coming just four days after they claimed their first away one-day international triumph over the Black Caps in Napier.
Batting Woes for New Zealand: Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s decision to put New Zealand into bat proved fruitful as the hosts faced early setbacks, losing three wickets before reaching a modest 134 for nine in their allotted 20 overs.
Despite early blows, Bangladesh showcased resilience as Litton Das, partnering with Soumya Sarkar and Towhid Hridoy, guided the team to 96-4 after 13 overs.
The visitors stumbled briefly at 97-5 with quick wickets, but Litton Das, surviving close calls and battling cramps, anchored the innings with an unbeaten 42.
Das faced a close lbw call, overturned on review, and later survived a catch at the boundary when Ish Sodhi stepped onto the rope. Mahedi Hasan, scoring 19 not out, joined Das in a crucial 40-run partnership, securing the victory with eight balls to spare.
Bangladesh’s bowlers, continuing their impressive form from the one-day series, restricted New Zealand effectively. Hasan’s opening over dismissal of Tim Seifert set the tone, while Shoriful Islam shone with figures of 3-26, including consecutive dismissals of Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips.
With the second and third Twenty20 Internationals scheduled at Mount Maunganui on Friday and Sunday, Bangladesh, ranked ninth in Twenty20 cricket, has defied expectations to outshine third-ranked New Zealand.
Building on their series-clinching win in the third one-day international, Bangladesh’s bowlers continued their dominance. Shoriful Islam’s impactful spell and timely breakthroughs rattled the New Zealand top order, ultimately paving the way for Bangladesh’s historic T20 triumph.
The series now moves to Mount Maunganui for the remaining T20 clashes, promising more thrilling encounters between these two cricketing nations.
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