Glenn Phillips took charge for New Zealand in the first innings, while Zakir Hasan stepped up in the second innings on day three of the rain-affected second Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.
With less than 32 overs bowled, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals throughout the day. The Kiwis began their chase of Bangladesh’s first-innings total of 172 with the scoreboard at 56/5.
Rain disrupted the start of the first session, and Nayeem Hasan claimed two wickets, leaving New Zealand at 97/7. From that point, Phillips took calculated risks, counterattacked the bowlers when possible, and kept the scoreboard ticking.
Phillips’s impactful presence on the field rendered the Bangladesh spinners ineffective, prompting skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto to rethink and revise his plans. Shoriful Islam, one of the pacers, rose to the challenge, breaking the crucial 50-run stand between Phillips and Kyle Jamieson.
Phillips’s impressive knock of 87 off 72 balls, featuring nine boundaries and four maximums, propelled the Kiwis past 172, ending with a score of 180. With a slender lead of 8 runs, Bangladesh lost Mahmudul Hasan Joy in the very first over. In the battle of skippers, Tim Southee emerged victorious, dismissing Shanto for a score of 15(24).
As bad light brought an early end to the day, only eight overs were possible in the final session. Despite almost five sessions lost due to rain interruptions, the game has progressed at a brisk rate. Bangladesh concluded Day 3 with a score of 38/2 in 8 overs.
Brief Score: Bangladesh 172 & 38/2 (Zakir Hasan 16*; Ajaz Patel 1-13, Tim Southee 1-8) vs New Zealand 180 (Glenn Phillips 87; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 3-53, Taijul Islam 3-64).
