Bangladesh carried the momentum from their ODI success into the T20I leg, grabbing a swift early advantage over New Zealand with a 1-0 series lead in Chattogram. The chase was anchored by Towhid Hridoy, whose 27-ball 51 featured two boundaries to the ropes and three sixes, while Parvez Hossain and Shamim Hossain finished the job with sharp finishing bursts. New Zealand posted 182/6, but Bangladesh reached 183/4 in 18 overs with six wickets in hand and two overs still to spare.
New Zealand set the platform after a quick start
New Zealand’s innings began with intent, as they raced to 61 during the Powerplay and pushed past the 100-mark by the halfway point. Opener Katene Clarke struck form early, making 51 off 37 deliveries, and he combined effectively with No.3 batter Dane Cleaver, with an 88-run partnership that set the tone for the middle overs.
- Katene Clarke: 51 off 37
- Dane Cleaver: 51 (including a partnership of 88 with Clarke)
- Nick Kelly: 27 off 27-ball (27 balls) for a timely contribution
After that strong phase, New Zealand still looked capable of building on the total, especially with the late momentum appearing to come from Josh Clarkson. Clarkson struck a quick cameo of 27 off 14, helping the visitors reach 182/6 on a surface that appeared to offer little assistance to bowlers.
Bangladesh’s chase begins brisk, then stutters
Bangladesh’s reply started with positive intent from Saif Hasan and Tanzid Tamim, both making use of the early openings. However, New Zealand’s bowlers tightened the screws at a crucial moment. Nathan Smith struck first, removing Hasan, and Ish Sodhi followed up by dismissing Tamim and Litton Das (No.3), quickly pushing the hosts to 77/3 in 10.1 overs.
At that stage, Bangladesh were well behind the asking rate. The innings needed a rescue, and it arrived through two fiery stands that changed the rhythm of the chase.
Hridoy and Parvez ignite the turnaround; Shamim finishes
Towhid Hridoy and Parvez Hossain took control after Litton’s dismissal, putting together a 57-run stand off only 28 balls. Soon after, Shamim entered and accelerated further, adding 49 off 19 as the chase began to look far more comfortable.
Crucially, after Hridoy and Hossain moved past the setback of Litton’s wicket, they struck aggressively—hitting two sixes and a four in the same over—before lifting the scoring rate again over the next four overs.
- Hridoy and Parvez Hossain: 57 runs off 28 balls
- Shamim Hossain: 49 off 19 balls
- Key early acceleration: two sixes and a four in one over after the Litton dismissal
Just as Bangladesh were building momentum, Josh Clarkson broke the partnership by taking Hossain’s wicket. Still, Bangladesh were never fully exposed—heading into the death overs needing 48 from 30 balls with New Zealand clinging to the match.
Hridoy and Shamim eased the pressure in the final stretch, smashing a six each off Matthew Fisher and then, in the 17th over, turning the equation further in Bangladesh’s favour by landing another decisive over—reducing the target to just five runs from the last three overs.
Shamim then led the finishing push against Matthew Fisher, striking three fours and a six in a 25-run over. In the 18th over, from Ben Lister, Hridoy reached his half-century and closed the chase with the winning run, sealing a six-wicket victory.
Brief scores
- New Zealand: 182/6 in 20 overs (Katene Clarke 51, Dane Cleaver 51; Rishad Hossain 2-32)
- Bangladesh: 183/4 in 18 overs (Towhid Hridoy 51, Shamim Hossain 31*; Ish Sodhi 2-40)
- Result: Bangladesh won by 6 wickets
