New Zealand bowled Bangladesh out for 102 in 14.2 overs in the rain-affected third T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday, after winning the toss, choosing to field, and using a refreshed pace and spin attack to break the home innings open. Rain stopped play with Bangladesh on 50 for 3 in 6.4 overs, and after officials trimmed the first innings to 15 overs, the hosts collapsed. New Zealand now need 103 in 15 overs to level the series, with Bangladesh 1-0 up.
New Zealand made two changes from the first match. Matthew Fisher, who had a costly final over on debut, and Ben Lister both dropped out. Ben Sears returned, and Jayden Lennox came in for his T20I debut. Bangladesh brought Mohammad Saifuddin back for Tanzim Hasan, who has a back injury. Abdul Gaffar Saklain again waited for his cap.
Lennox struck with the first ball of his T20I career. Saif Hasan tried to lift the left-arm spinner over mid-off, the bat went outside the line, and the top edge looped to cover point, where Tim Robinson took the catch. Saif made 16 from 11 with two fours, and Bangladesh’s opening stand of 21 ended early.
Nathan Smith then prised out Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon in consecutive balls, both pace-on dismissals that exposed a soft middle order. Tanzid was bowled for 6 from 10. Emon edged behind to short third, where Ish Sodhi held a routine catch. Bangladesh slipped to 35 for 3 with the powerplay still on.
Litton Das gave the innings a brief lift with 26 from 17, including three fours and a six, before he punched a short ball from Josh Clarkson straight to Smith at point. Tawhid Hridoy provided the only sustained resistance with 33 from 24, but Clarkson removed him too, with Robinson taking a low diving catch at deep midwicket. Robinson also held on to a contentious low chance off Saifuddin at backward point, and the third umpire ruled the catch clean despite repeat replays leaving doubt over whether the fielder’s fingers slid under the ball.
Shamim Hossain Patwari fell for 3 in the same passage, caught by Bevon Jacobs off Sodhi while attempting a reverse sweep. By the 13th over Bangladesh were 94 for 7. Rishad Hossain then ran himself out attempting an impossible second, with Dane Cleaver breaking the stumps as he scrambled back, leaving the hosts 102 for 8 after 14 overs. Sears closed the innings with two yorkers on consecutive balls, bowling Shoriful Islam and Ripon Mondol.
Clarkson finished with three for nine in two overs, Sears with two for 12 in 2.2, and Smith with two for 14 in two. Beyond Hridoy, Litton and Saif Hasan, no Bangladesh batter reached double figures.
