On a green Napier field, Bangladesh’s pace attack shredded New Zealand’s batting to score a remarkable nine-wicket triumph in the third and final one-day international on Saturday.
After being soundly defeated in the first two games of the series, Bangladesh staged a dramatic form reversal at McLean Park, dismissing the hosts for 98 in 34.1 overs. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto scored an undefeated half-century as they cruised to 99-1 in 15.1 overs.
It was Bangladesh’s first ODI victory over New Zealand, where they had lost the previous 18 matches since their first effort in 1990.
Victory, according to Shanto, would be a source of pride and due reward for the gains he believes his eighth-ranked club is making.
“Really proud of the boys playing in this match,” he was quoted as saying.
“Before we started this series, we were confident that we could win it.”
“We played well in the last couple of games, but we couldn’t finish.” The players played some good cricket today, and we got the result.”
Shanto’s impact began when he won the toss and placed the Black Caps on a lush, bouncy surface with sideways movement – and his seamers responded.
Three of them took three wickets as New Zealand was bowled out for their lowest total in 45 ODIs between the two teams.
Tanzim Hasan Sakib (3-14) and Soumya Sarkar (3-18) both recorded career-high figures, while Shoriful Islam’s 3-22 included the dismissal of top-scoring Will Young, who was caught in the gully for 26.
Sakib claimed his procedures were straightforward.
“I tried wicket to wicket and line and length.” The remainder was taken care of by the wicket. It was quite useful to me.”
Young has been in excellent form this season, collecting 105 and 89 points in victories in Dunedin and Nelson, respectively.
Captain Tom Latham (21) put up 36 with Young for the third wicket, but his dismissal – clean bowled by Islam – triggered a collapse in which the last eight wickets fell for 40 runs, many of them to poor strokes.
An early hiccup in the run chase occurred when opening batter Sarkar, who had scored 169 in a losing cause in Napier on Wednesday, was forced to retire hurt for four runs due to an eye ailment.
There were minimal problems after that, with Shanto (51 not out) putting up 69 with opener Anamul Haque, who was the only batsman dismissed when edging paceman William O’Rourke on 37.
In the 11th over of the innings, O’Rourke had been hit for four consecutive boundaries by the free-hitting Shanto.
New Zealand rested a number of senior players for the series, and Latham claimed some of his younger team members would have learned a lot.
“Obviously it was a very below-par performance,” he told reporters.
“Bangladesh found a way to bowl on that surface and made the most of it.” We weren’t able to put any form of pressure on them, which is quite disappointing.”
The teams will prepare for a three-match T20 international series, which begins on Wednesday in Napier.
