New Zealand posted 182-6 in their 20 overs against Bangladesh in the first T20I at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Cricket Stadium in Chattogram on Monday, after Bangladesh captain Litton Das won the toss and chose to field. Katene Clarke and Dane Cleaver scored 51 each at the top of the innings, before Bangladesh’s bowlers pulled the game back with five wickets across the middle and death overs. Rishad Hossain finished with two wickets, including both set batters.
The match unfolded in three clear phases. New Zealand attacked the powerplay and reached 61-1 in six overs, with Clarke and Cleaver punishing every wide line. Bangladesh’s only reward in that period came through Towhid Hridoy’s direct-hit run-out of Tim Robinson in the second over.
The middle overs swung the contest. Clarke and Cleaver added 88 in 50 balls for the second wicket and looked set to push past 200 before Rishad’s leg spin broke the partnership. He had Cleaver lbw on a reverse sweep at 99-2, then bowled Clarke a leg-stump line two overs later, with Clarke holing out to a reverse sweep caught by Hridoy at backward point.
Cleaver scored 51 from 28 balls with seven fours and a six. Clarke reached his maiden international fifty off 34 balls before falling for 51 from 37, with seven fours and a six. Both fell to false shots after settling rather than to a change of plan from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh tightened the screw once the openers were gone. Tanzim Hasan Sakib had Bevon Jacobs caught at the boundary by Rishad with a delivery angled across off stump, and Sheikh Mahedi Hasan bowled Dean Foxcroft for 3 as the off-spinner attacked the stumps. Foxcroft had scored 75 with seven sixes in the third and final ODI, but failed to time a release shot and saw the ball ricochet off his thigh on to the off stump.
Nick Kelly held the innings together at the back end. The stand-in captain made 39 from 27 balls with five fours and a six, including a survival on review at 19 when an lbw appeal returned umpire’s call against Rishad. Shariful Islam ended Kelly’s stay with a slower ball that brought a top-edge to short fine leg, where Tanzim took the catch.
Josh Clarkson then provided the late acceleration. He ended unbeaten on 27 from 14 balls, with two fours and a six, putting on 20 with debutant Nathan Smith for the unbroken seventh wicket. New Zealand scored 52 in the last five overs and 32 in the last 17 balls of the innings.
Floodlight problems briefly interrupted the closing overs. Several lights cut out midway through the 17th over, halting play with New Zealand on 151-5 from 16.3 overs, before officials restored full lighting. Cloud cover had already forced the use of floodlights for most of a daytime fixture.
Rishad’s 2-25 came at the moments that mattered, while Tanzim, Shariful and Mahedi each picked up a wicket and a stronger over at the death held New Zealand to a chaseable total. Bangladesh need 183 to win their opening match of the series.
