Tigers go 2-0 up with close win

Despite a late twist, Bangladesh were able to scrape to a four-run win against New Zealand in the second game of the five-match T20I series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

After putting up a decent total of 141 for six, courtesy of an unbeaten 37 from skipper Mahmudullah Riyad and a solid opening stand between Mohammad Naim and Liton Das, Bangladesh restricted New Zealand to 137 for five.

The win also means that Bangladesh now lead the five-match series 2-0 and have now won eight T20Is in a calendar year for the first time ever.  

However, the game that looked to be well in Bangladesh's grasp even at the beginning of the final over, took an unexpected turn when ace left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman bowled a waist-high no-ball that eventually brought the equation down to New Zealand needing eight from the final two deliveries with in-form Kiwi skipper Tom Latham at strike and the penultimate delivery being a free-hit.

Mustafizur's back-of-the-hand delivery ended up being a beamer and it was swatted away for a boundary down the fine-leg by Latham. And that had certainly put Mustafizur, one of the most reliable death over bowlers in T20s around the world, in a bit of a concern.

However, the 25-year-old pacer kept his nerve and conceded only three runs off the final two deliveries as Bangladesh registered a thrilling victory with Latham stranded at 65 not out off 49 deliveries. Mustafizur ended the game wicketless, giving away 34 runs in four overs.

Bangladesh had started off well with the ball coming in to defend a total that was the highest at the venue in the last eight T20Is. Shakib Al Hasan had removed Rachin Ravindra in the third over while off-spinner Mahedi Hasan scalped the wicket of the other opener, Tom Blundell, in the very next over to leave the visitors at two for 18 after 3.1 overs.

Latham then staged a crucial 43-run stand with Will Young and the Kiwis were looking to recover very well from their early slump.

Then Shakib, as he does so often, provided the most important breakthrough. He induced an edge off the bat of Young in the 11th over and had him caught at short third man, breaking an ominous partnership.

New Zealand lost Colin de Grandhomme and Henry Nicholls in quick succession to spinners Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi before an unbeaten 47-run stand between Latham and Cole McConchie took the game right down to the wire.

Shakib finished with figures of two for 29 in his four overs and the all-rounder, with 106 T20I wickets in 86 games, now remains just a wicket away from being the joint highest T20I wicket-taker alongside former Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga, who has 107 scalps from 84 T20Is. Mahedi, meanwhile, was the most impressive with the ball as the 26-year-old finished with figures of two for 12 in four overs, bowling at an economy rate of 3 -- lowest among bowlers of the two sides.  

Earlier, Bangladesh opener Naim and Liton put on a solid display, amassing 59 runs for the opening stand. Naim holed out to long-on after a run-a-ball 39 while Liton chopped one on to his stumps off a Ravindra delivery after a 29-ball 33.

However, despite losing a few quick wickets in the middle, Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah, who looked in a positive frame of mind from the very beginning, ensured with his unbeaten cameo that Bangladesh end with a competitive total.