Tigers romp to maiden ODI win over Kiwis in their backyard

Powered by some sensational fast bowling and a quickfire unbeaten fifty from skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh snapped their 18-match losing streak against New Zealand in their backyard with a convincing nine-wicket win in the third and final ODI of the ongoing series in Napier on Saturday. 

Shanto smashed an unbeaten 51 off just 42 deliveries, laced with eight boundaries, while opener Anamul Haque Bijoy made his presence felt with a 37-run knock off 33 deliveries as Bangladesh chased down a meagre 99-run target in just 15.1 overs. New Zealand, however, take the series 2-1 after winning the first two ODIs. 

Apart from losing Bijoy in the 13th over, Bangladesh suffered another blow as Soumya Sarkar had to walk off after he seemingly got something into his eyes in the fifth over. He had the physio check him twice and also had eye drops but still could not continue and had to leave the field.

While Soumya's issue seems nothing to be overly concerned about, Shanto and Bijoy propelled the Tigers over the line with some exhilarating batting shots. 

However, before Shanto and Bijoy's brief carnage, it was the pacers who had a field day to bundle out New Zealand for 98 in just 31.4 overs -- the Kwis' lowest-ever ODI total against Bangladesh in a game they were bowled out or played a full quota of overs.

Pacers Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and part-time medium pacer Soumya Sarkar got three wickets each. While Sakib set the tone for Bangladesh with early breakthroughs as he removed dangerous Rachin Ravindra and Henry Nicholls inside the Powerplay, Shoriful broke the back of the Kiwi batting line-up with three wickets in three successive overs in the middle.

After that, Sakib got a wicket in the middle before Soumya chipped in with three late wickets and Mustafizur Rahman wrapped it up with the final wicket of William O'Rourke.  

Coming in to chase a low target, Bangladesh went through a shaky period with Kiwi pacers getting movement and carry off the pitch, much like the Bangladesh bowlers did with the new ball. 

However, with a target below hundred, Bangladesh soon got into the groove, especially skipper Shanto. Shanto was never afraid to use his feet and counter-attack the Kiwi pacers. He hit O'Rourke for four consecutive boundaries in the 11th over, asserting his dominance, and also fittingly hit the winning runs in the 16th over to bring up his eighth ODI fifty.     

Soumya retired hurt with eye trouble but Tigers off to decent start

Even though in-form Soumya Sarkar had to walk off following some sort of trouble in his right eye, Bangladesh got off to a decent start in their chase of a meagre 99 in their third and final ODI against New Zealand in Napier on Saturday. 

After seven overs, Bangladesh moved to 35 for no loss.

New Zealand pacers were able to get some movement and carry off the pitch, much like the Bangladesh pacers earlier, but not much of a scoreboard pressure on the Tigers meant they were in no rush to get to their maiden ODI win against the Kiwis in their backyard.   

The only blow for the Tigers so far has been the case of Soumya, who had to walk off after he seemingly got something into his eyes. He had the physio check him twice and also had eye drops but still could not continue and had to leave the field in the fifth over. 

Anamul Haque Bijoy, the other opener, struck Jacob Duffy for two boundaries the very next over, shrugging off any sort of discomfort that the Bangladesh camp might have felt seeing Soumya, who hit a record-breaking 169 in the second ODI in Nelson, come off early.