Williamson takes Blackcaps home

New Zealand thumped Bangladesh by six wickets thanks to an unbeaten 73 from skipper Kane Williamson in the first T20I of the series at Napier today.

Chasing 142, New Zealand romped home as their fifth wicket partnership of 81 between Colin de Grandhomme and Kane Williamson took the game away from the visitors.

Kane was 73 not out from 55 balls. His match-winning knock contained five fours and two sixes. Colin was unbeaten on 41 from 22 with three fours and three sixes to his name.

For Bangladesh Shakib, Rubel and Mustafizur picked up a wicket each. Mustafizur took 1-21 in four tight overs.

Score

Bangladesh: 141/8 (20 overs)

Mahmudullah 52, Mosaddek 20, Ferguson 3-32

New Zealand: 143/4 (18.0 overs)

Williamson 73, Colin 41, Mustafizur 1-21

Result: New Zealand win by 6 wickets (with 12 balls remaining)

The second T20I of the series will be held at Mount Maunganui on Jan 6, 2017

Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan (C) celebrates with teammates Sabbir Rahman (R) and Soumya Sarkar (L) after New Zealand's Neil Broom was caught out during the first Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Bangladesh at McLean Park in Napier on January 3, 2017. Photo: AFP

The 50-plus stand in 5.4 overs between Colin de Grandhomme and Kane Williamson kept the Bangladesh bowlers at bay.

Explosive batting from both the batsmen late in the innings took the match away from Bangladesh. Soumya gave 17 runs in the 16th over, Rubel conceded 15 in the previous over while Shakib was smashed for 12 in the 14th over as New Zealand romped towards the target.

New Zealand lost their fourth wicket for 62 runs inside 11 overs chasing 142 when Tom Bruce was run out for seven.

Blackcaps feeling the pressure, and their chase becomes more difficult as Bangladesh get their fourth wicket through a run-out.

TC Bruce run out 7 (9b 0x4 0x6) SR: 77.77

Fall of wicket 62/4 (10.1 ov); Partnership: 16 runs, 3.4 overs, RR: 4.36 (Williamson 9, Bruce 7)

Shakib gets his first, and Bangladesh get their third breakthrough to put some pressure back on the hosts.

Anderson picked out long-off to perfection. Tossed up outside off from around the stumps…New Zealand allrounder wanted to go for the big hit, and his outside edge carried to Tamim.

CJ Anderson c Tamim Iqbal b Shakib Al Hasan 13 (14b 1x4 0x6) SR: 92.85

Fall of wicket 46/3 (6.3 ov); Partnership: 18 runs, 3.1 overs, RR: 5.68 (Anderson 13, Williamson 4)

Fizz strikes in his first over…and Bangladesh get their second wicket!

Full and holds its line outside off, Munro chases the ball with a drive with no feet and offers a regulation catch to Nurul Hasan behind the wicket.

C Munro c †Nurul Hasan b Mustafizur Rahman 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Fall of wicket 28/2 (3.2 ov); Partnership: 6 runs, 0.5 overs, RR: 7.20 (Munro 0, Williamson 6)

What a catch from Shakib…and Tigers get their first breakthrough!

Hip-high short ball outside off from Rubel, Broom smashed a pull in the air off the middle of the bat…Shakib ran to his left from deep square leg and got into a side-on position.

His momentum carried him over the rope but Shakib had the presence of mind to flick the ball in the air back into the field of play, and then completed the amazing catch to the delight of his teammates.

NT Broom c Shakib Al Hasan b Rubel Hossain 6 (7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 85.71

Fall of wicket 22/1 (2.3 ov); Partnership: 22 runs, 2.3 overs, RR: 8.80 (Broom 6, Williamson 15)

Slower, dipping yorker from Ferguson, and Mahmudullah is bowled in the 19th over. Mahmudullah batted sensibly with wickets falling around him, and allowed Bangladesh to reach 141, although below-par but something for the bowlers to bowl at.

Mahmudullah b Ferguson 52 (47b 3x4 3x6) SR: 110.63

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe becomes the seventh man to be dismissed, and he was sent back for a run by Ben Wheeler in the 18th over.

Mashrafe Mortaza c de Grandhomme b Wheeler 1 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

Fall of wicket 114/7 (17.1 ov); Partnership: 15 runs, 1.4 overs, RR: 9.00

Mosaddek Hossain is gone, and Bangladesh lose their sixth wicket for 99 runs inside 16 overs. Mosaddek went for the slog, and the leading edge was taken by Corey Anderson at cover-point.

Mosaddek Hossain c Anderson b Santner 20 (17b 0x4 2x6) SR: 117.64

Partnership: 32 runs, 4.5 overs, RR: 6.62 (Mahmudullah 6, Mosaddek Hossain 20)

Fifth wicket down…Bangladesh in real trouble at 65 for 5 inside 11 overs.

Shakib Al Hasan goes for the pull and goes back to the pavilion for 14 runs to his name. A shortish delivery from Grandhomme, the ball got big on Shakib and Santner took the top-edge quite easily.

Shakib Al Hasan c Santner b de Grandhomme 14 (14b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Another one bites the dust…this time it is Soumya Sarkar.

Another wicket in the sixth over, and Bangladesh are under the pump! Lockie Ferguson gets his second of the game.

Good length, angled into the left-hander from over the wicket, then swung away late…Grazed the outside edge and looped into the hands of gully. Soumya begins 2017 with a golden duck.

Soumya Sarkar c Anderson b Ferguson 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Lockie strikes…and sends back Sabbir Rahman. Ferguson struck with his first ball on his T20I debut. Rank full-toss on the stumps, Sabbir should have swatted it over midwicket. Instead, he spooned a waist-high catch to midwicket.

Sabbir Rahman c Henry b Ferguson 16 (15b 1x4 1x6) SR: 106.66

Tamim Iqbal was the second wicket to fall, and he was sent back in the fifth over by Ben Wheeler. Banged in short and outside off, shoulder-high delivery…Tamim attempted a hook and was safely pouched by Tom Bruce at square-ish long leg.

Tamim Iqbal c Bruce b Wheeler 11 (13b 1x4 0x6) SR: 84.61

Left-handed opener Imrul Kayes could not open his account, and lasted only two balls. Matt Henry managed to get a thick outside edge from Imrul’s bat in the second over and Ronchi did the rest.

Imrul Kayes c †Ronchi b Henry 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Just the start Tigers fans didn’t want…

Bangladesh is expected to field a batting-heavy line-up with eight batsmen. Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe, Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain are the four specialist bowlers likely to make the 11, with Taskin Ahmed likely to be rested.

Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan (Wicketkeeper), Mashrafe Mortaza (Captain), Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain

New Zealand

KS Williamson (Captain), NT Broom, C Munro, CJ Anderson, TC Bruce, C de Grandhomme, L Ronchi (Wicketkeeper), MJ Santner, BM Wheeler, MJ Henry, LH Ferguson