Tigers bundled out for their joint second-lowest T20I total as Kiwis bounce back
Bangladesh were bundled out for 76 in 19.4 overs -- Tigers' joint second-lowest total in T20Is -- as New Zealand registered a thumping 52-run victory in the third T20I of the five-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
With this win, New Zealand bounced back in the series after losing the first two matches. Bangladesh, however, still lead the series 2-1 with two games yet to be played.
Interestingly, Bangladesh's four lowest T20I totals have all been recorded playing against New Zealand. The Tigers scored 70 all out -- their lowest-ever T20I total -- against New Zealand in a T20 World Cup encounter in Kolkata back in 2016. Bangladesh were also bundled out for 76 in a T20I earlier this year in Auckland and scored 78 once back in 2010 in Hamilton against the Kiwis.
In today's game, chasing a mediocre total of 128 for five, Bangladesh batsmen seemed to be in a hurry as they threw their wickets away after a decent start.
Openers Liton Das and Mohammad Naim started off the chase aggressively, striking five boundaries off pacer Jacob Duffy and spinners Ajaz Patel and Cole McConchie. Bangladesh had moved on to 23 for no loss after 2.3 overs and were set to seal the series with three wins on the trot.
But instead, they ended up losing by a big margin and it was the batsmen who were to be blamed for such an outcome. Despite a flying start, Bangladesh lost wickets in clusters as it took them only eight deliveries to go from 23 for no loss to 25 for three after 3.5 overs.
Liton, Mahedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan had all thrown their wickets away with Shakib and Mahedi being picked by Patel in the same over. Patel once again gave a double blow in one over when he removed skipper Mahmudullah Riyad and Afif Hossain in the 10th over, reducing Bangladesh to six for 43.
Mushfiqur Rahim stuck at one end but his unbeaten 37-ball 20, without any boundaries, was every bit as unflattering as the batsmen who were in a hurry to make their way to the dressing room.
For New Zealand, Patel was the most impressive one with the ball. The left-arm spinner returned his best T20I figures of four for 16 in his four overs.
Bangladesh eventually fell short of the target in a game that made its way into the records book as the first-ever T20I between two Test-playing nations without a single six being hit throughout.
Earlier, even New Zealand were left in a precarious situation after electing to bat. But the Kiwis recovered well following their slump to five for 62 in 10.5 overs as an unbeaten 66-run sixth-wicket stand between Tom Blundell and Henry Nicholls saw New Zealand post a fighting total. Nicholls remained unbeaten for a 29-ball 36 while Blundell scored a run-a-ball 30.
Patel gets four; Tigers in deep trouble
Having picked up Mahedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan in the fourth over, New Zealand's left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel once again struck twice in the 10th over of the game as the visitors reduced Bangladesh to 44 for six after halfway into the Tigers' chase of a mediocre total in the third T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
Bangladesh had already lost four quick wickets after a decent start and were put on the backfoot by the Kiwis. Patel then gave Tigers a huge blow when he picked up skipper Mahmudullah Riyad. The right-hander was caught at extra cover.
Patel then removed young Afif Hossain, who has been in a good vein of form in the previous two series against Zimbabwe and Australia but is yet to make a mark in this series, in the very next ball.
A fuller length delivery around off-stump and Afif tried to jam his bat onto it. But the left-handed batter missed and the ball went on to hit his off-stump as Patel was on a hat-trick. The left-arm spinner, however, did not get the hattrick but had inflicted ample damage to the Tigers' batting lineup.
Four quick wickets see Tigers lose momentum
Despite getting a decent start, Bangladesh overcomplicated things as four top-order batsmen threw their wickets away in their third game of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
After Kiwi pacer Jacob Duffy bowled four dots on the trot, left-handed opener Mohammad Naim struck the pacer for two successive boundaries to get Bangladesh going in their chase of a 129-run target.
Liton Das then welcomed Ajaz Patel with a boundary through covers in the first ball of the very next over as Tigers seemed to be in total control of the game. Liton maintained his aggression, striking off-spinner Cole McConchie for two more boundaries in back-to-back deliveries -- both by going down on one knee and through the backward square leg region -- as Bangladesh moved on to 23 for no loss in just 2.3 overs.
However, Tigers lost the early momentum as they lost three wickets in space of next eight deliveries. Liton was the first one to fall when the right-hander tried to maneuver another one through the backward square leg by playing a reckless shot across the line. Only this time, Liton missed the ball completely and was trapped in front.
Mahedi Hasan, sent in at no.3 ahead of Shakib, tried to force a shot off a rising delivery from Patel and chipped it to the fielder at midwicket.
And the most disappointing one was the way Shakib Al Hasan got himself dismissed. The experienced all-rounder, facing just his second delivery and with Bangladesh losing two quick wickets, made a horrible error in judgment as he danced down the track to hit Patel over long-on. He only gave an easy catch to McConchie.
Naim then played a wide Rachin Ravindra delivery on to his stumps and had to depart after a 19-ball 13 as Bangladesh were left reeling at four for 32 after seven overs.