New Zealand booked a place in the final of the ongoing Tri-Series after putting up a clinical performance against Bangladesh, securing a 48-run victory in Hagley Oval, Christchurch on Tuesday.
A fierce bowling spell from Adam Milne helped the Kiwis stop Bangaldesh to 160/7 as Shakib Al Hasan’s superb 70-run inning went in vain. Blistering half-centuries from Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips saw New Zealand set a daunting total of 209 runs. Chasing a massive target of 209, the Bangladesh openers survived some close calls before being eventually dismissed inside the powerplay. Liton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto walked onto the crease with the former being the aggressor scoring 23 runs off 16 balls before being dismissed by Doug Bracewell in the sixth over.
Shaanto never really looked settled and was Milne’s first wicket in the fourth over, scoring 11 off 12 balls. Shakib walked in at number four and made his intentions very clear as the batter danced down the wicket on the very first ball and smash a powerful boundary. The left-hander shared a 43-run stand with Soumya Sarkar in just 21 balls taking Bangladesh to 90/2 after the end of 10 overs.
Sarkar played some fascinating shots to help the captain in Bangladesh’s pursuit of the massive target before being dismissed by Milne for 23 runs off 16 balls.
Afif Hossain did not trouble the hosts much as he was sent back to the pavilion in by Bracewell in the 12th over, handing him his second wicket.
Shakib kept fighting for the Bangla Tigers as he saw batters struggling to score runs on the other end unable to stitch a partnership with him. He brought up his fifty in the 16th over, fighting a lone battle.
The batter finally fell in the 19th over as he ran out of partners with the scoreboard pressure mounting on him. Shakib played a stunning inning of 70 runs off 44 balls, studded with eight boundaries and one six.
Bangladesh kept losing wickets and fell short by 48 runs in the end. Earlier, Shakib won the toss and opted to bowl in the match. The Kiwi opening duo of Finn Allen and Devon Conway gave New Zealand a brilliant start as they made full use of the fielding restrictions plundering the Bangladeshi bowlers for 54 runs for the loss of one wicket at the end of the powerplay.
Martin Guptill then partnered with Conway to smash the visitors all around the park, stitching an 82-run stand within nine overs. Conway, who had started slowly blasted off to a brilliant half-century and scored 64 runs in 40 balls. Glenn Phillips provided the finishing touches as he fired on all cylinders, depositing fives sixes in the stand in his 24-ball stay.
The visitors ended with 208/5 after the end of the 20 overs. Mohammad Saifuddin was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh ending with 2/37 in his four overs.
Brief Scores: NZ 208/5 (Devon Conway 64, Glenn Phillips 60; Mohammad Saifuddin 2/37) vs Bangladesh 160/7 (Shakib Al Hasan 70, Litton Das 23; Adam Milne 3/24)