Winning momentum ‘most important thing’
New Zealand were welcomed by Bangladesh with the template that undid the Aussies as a slow and low Mirpur surface played its part behind the hosts registering their maiden T20I win over the Kiwis by seven wickets yesterday.
In fact, Bangladesh did it some style, bundling New Zealand out for 60 after Tom Latham elected to bat in the first of the five-match T20I series.
| Mahmudullah has become the most successful T20I captain for Bangladesh registering his 11th win from 23 matches. Former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza won 10 of his 28 matches while leading the side. |
| The Kiwis folded for 60; their joint-lowest total in men's T20Is, following a similar collapse against Sri Lanka in the 2014 T20 World Cup. |
Shakib Al Hasan, the poster-boy of Bangladesh cricket, was instrumental. He first bagged two wickets while conceding just ten runs from four overs and then scored 25 in chase of a paltry 61 runs.
Questions may still linger about whether the Mirpur surface was ideal in terms of preparations for the batsmen ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in the middle east next month, but Shakib believed the winning momentum would help them going into the World Cup.
"The most important thing is that we won the game, which is very good leading up to the World Cup. I can still remember when we did well in the 2007 World Cup. We won quite a few matches on the trot before the tournament in the fifty-over format. That helped us do well in the 2007 World Cup. So, I think this win will take us to a good position from where we will be able to do well in the World Cup," the man of the match told media after the game.
The 34-year-old requires four further wickets to surpass Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga as the highest wicket-taker in T20Is. Although he said he does not think about such milestone, he enjoyed such feats when they came his way.
Meanwhile, skipper Mahmudullah praised his bowlers for the clinical showing and added that Bangladesh needed to make a statement after thrashings from New Zealand earlier this year.
"It's a good feeling after having lost a few matches against them. We need to come back again and do it again. The main thing was that the bowlers were hungry and disciplined with their skills. They were not trying too much and that was important. I'd have batted first but it's always a tricky wicket," Mahmudullah said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
For Tom Latham and the inexperienced New Zealand side, it was always going to be a tough task to adapt and adjust to the alien Mirpur surface. That proved to be the case as the visitors were bundled out for joint-lowest total in the shortest format.
"Obviously slightly disappointed with the start. We knew it was going to be tough but we kept losing wickets at crucial times. For us, it's about finding a way in these conditions and to try to assess what a good score is. With runs on the board, it isn't easy. As I said, it's about working [out] what a good score is and trying and working our way around it. Proud of the effort the guys put in with the ball," said Latham.