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Bangladesh's cricket team achieved a historic victory in the first match of their three-game T20I series against New Zealand in Napier. This win marked a significant milestone, being Bangladesh's first T20 triumph on New Zealand territory. The victory came just four days after Bangladesh had secured their first-ever away one-day international win against New Zealand, also in Napier.
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The game began with Bangladesh's captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, opting to field first. New Zealand, batting first, encountered a rough start, losing three early wickets and eventually setting a target of 134 runs, finishing at 134 for nine in their 20 overs. This disappointing start for the Black Caps was a result of the exceptional performance by the Bangladeshi seamers, who maintained pressure throughout the innings.
Despite some hope given to the home fans by the early dismissals of Bangladeshi openers Rony Talukdar and Shanto by the Black Caps bowlers, Bangladesh steadied their innings through the efforts of veteran Litton Das, who formed crucial partnerships first with Soumya Sarkar and then with Towhid Hridoy. By the 13th over, Bangladesh had progressed to 96-4.
However, the visitors faced a momentary setback, stumbling to 97-5 after losing quick wickets, including Afif Hossain. Despite these challenges, Das played a crucial role in the chase. He scored 42 not out and survived two significant incidents: an overturned lbw decision against him and a boundary catch by Ish Sodhi, which turned into six runs due to Sodhi stepping over the boundary rope.
Mahedi Hasan, batting alongside Das, played a pivotal role in securing the win for Bangladesh. Hasan remained unbeaten on 19 and hit the winning runs in their 40-run partnership, with eight balls remaining in the game.
The Bangladesh bowlers continued their impressive form from the one-day international series, where they had dismissed New Zealand for 98 in the third match. Hasan and Shoriful Islam were particularly effective, with Islam taking 3-26, including crucial wickets in consecutive balls.
New Zealand's batting lineup struggled throughout the game. Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman made brief contributions, but the team continually lost wickets at crucial junctures. Captain Mitchell Santner and James Neesham tried to steady the ship with a 41-run partnership, but their efforts were not enough to set a challenging total.
The win was a significant achievement for Bangladesh, ranked ninth in T20I international cricket, as they outperformed the third-ranked New Zealand team. The remaining two matches of the T20I series are scheduled to be played at Mount Maunganui on Friday and Sunday. This victory sets a thrilling precedent for the upcoming games and highlights Bangladesh's growing prowess in international cricket.
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