Bangladesh Defeat New Zealand XI in Close Fought Match

The toss was uncontested with Bangladesh batting first in Lincoln. 

Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Anamul Haque Bijoy got the visitors off to a fast start with the bat with a first-wicket partnership of 47 runs in 7.1 overs before Joey Field had the first wicket, with Bijoy bowled for 33 from 26.

The experienced Soumya Sarkar joined Tamim at the crease and they combined for a 101-run stand in 12.3 overs with Nikith Perera, Jakob Bhula, Jarrod McKay and Samrath Singh having their liking taken to by the pair. 

The 50-run stand was made in 46 balls whilst it took a further 29 balls for the next 50 runs to be added. 

Tamim departed only a run after the 100 stand for a quickfire 58 from 46, with Perera grabbing the breakthrough.

Bangladesh captain Litton Das joined Sarkar at the crease and not long after, Bangladesh had made 150 runs and Sarkar had a 50 from 39 balls. 

However, Sarkar departed only 22 runs into the stand with Das for 59 from 56. 

Tawhid Hridoy then went 2 runs later and Afif Hossain a further 12 runs after that, Bangladesh now at 184/5. Singh had picked up a second wicket with Hridoy’s dismissal whilst Hossain had given James Hartshorn his first. 

Rishad Hossain joined Das at the crease and they shared a 70-run stand in 9.5 overs, showing the pace that the pair were going at. Their 50-run stand was made in 45 balls. 

Das was the next one to depart, but not after he had made a 59 ball 50. Eventually was dismissed by Singh for 55. 

Tanzim Hasan Sakib (3) and Rakibul Hossain (2) were both out as Bangladesh slumped to 271/8, with McKay and Singh getting the wickets respectively. 

From here, it was an opportunity for Hossain to go bang and he did just that as he smashed a 54-ball 87, the knock including 11 fours and four sixes as he took a real liking to the New Zealand death bowlers. 

Rishad Hossain plays a shot during his innings. Photo Credit: NZC

Hasan Mahmud (8) and Mustazfizur Rahamn (1) made little contributions, as Bangladesh wanted Hossain to be on strike for the majority of the last 7.1overs. 

They finished up on 334/10 from 49.5 overs with Hossain (87), Sarkar (59), Tamim (58), and Das (55) all scoring over 50. Singh took figures of 4/73 while Hartshorn and Field took two wickets each. 

The New Zealand XI got off to a fast start with 26 runs made in the first 4 overs, but Jacob Cumming was the man who had contributed 22 of these runs with his wicket, the first one to fall with Mahmud grabbing the wicket.

Bhula then fell 6 runs later for 8, Mahmud with a second early wicket.

Quinn Sunde and Bharat Popli combined for a 39-run stand from 8 overs, the Auckland youngster Sunde out for 23. 

Otago newbie Jamal Todd was only able to add 1 run to the score with Afif getting his first wicket of the day. 

Jamal Todd (Centre) was selected for the NZ XI squad to play Bangladesh. Photo - Otis Murray

With the New Zealand XI suddenly in a position of 80/4, they were going to need a big partnership between the pair if they were going to have a chance of grabbing a victory. 

Sandeep Patel and Popli did just this with a massive 156-run stand in 126 balls, showing the fact that they were going to try and win the game. 

They didn’t go after any of the bowlers, with the majority of the Bangladeshi bowlers going at or around 6 runs an over across their entire spells. 

Popli finally fell with the score at 236/5, falling eight runs short of a century. 

Ben Pomare only added four runs to the total, when Rakibul Hossain picked up him and then Sandeep Patel fell in the following over for 89 from 77, Afif Hossain grabbing his wicket. 

Sandeep Patel celebrates his 50. Photo Credit - NZC

The New Zealand XI had suddenly gone from 236/5 to 259/7, losing their two set batters in that time. 

The rest of the batters tried their best to get the side to victory but ultimately fell 26 runs short with Field’s 33* from 26 pushing them to a final score of 308/10 in 49.2 overs.

Popli top scored with 92 and Patel 89. Afif Hossain and Rishad Hossain got three wickets each and Hasan Mahmud got two. 

New Zealand XI: Jacob Cumming, Jakob Bhula, Bharat Popli ©, Quinn Sunde, Jamal Todd, Sandeep Patel, Ben Pomare (WK), Nikith Perera, Joey Field, Samrath Singh, James Hartshorn, Jarrod McKay

Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das (C, WK), Tawhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rakibul Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Musfik Hasan