New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 8 wickets in tri-series

Another shaky batting performance let Bangladesh down and made their road to final in the tri-nation series extremely difficult after they tasted an eight-wicket defeat to hosts New Zealand today at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

The Tigers yet again came up with a clueless batting to be restricted to 137-8 which New Zealand gunned down with ease, reaching 142-2 in 17.5 overs.

Bangladesh conceded a 21-run defeat to Pakistan in the first match from a position of dominance, paying the price of their mindless batting. New Zealand also suffered a six-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the first match but hit back thanks to Devon Conway who led the charge with 51 ball-70 not out, studded with seven fours and one six.

The Kiwis start to the chase was slower similar to the start of Bangladesh but unlike the visitors, they showed their panache to pace the innings as the time progressed. And this was what made the eventual difference.

Bangladesh got early success, removing Finn Allen for 16 in the fourth over. Skipper Kane Williamson and Conway then kept the side in the hunt and when Bangladesh dismissed Williamson, New Zealand were just 29 runs away from the victory.

Williamson and Conway started rebuilding the innings slowly but once they got set, the kept the scoreboard ticking, a thing that Bangladesh were always unable to do.

Williamson made 30 off 29 with just one four. After the departure of the captain, Glenn Phillips hastened the victory with just 9 ball-23 not out, designed with two fours and as many sixes. Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud took the two fallen wickets of the Kiwis.

Earlier, Nazmul Hossan Shanto, one of the two changes of Bangladesh for this match, was the top-scorer with 33. He opened the innings instead of Sabbir Rahman who was dropped following his poor batting form. Pacer Mustafizur Rahman was also dropped in favour of fellow left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam.

Shanto hit four boundaries in the innings in which he played 29 balls. His fellow opener Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the first one to be out on 5 as New Zealand asked Bangladesh to bat first.

The partnership of Shanto and Liton Das gave Bangladesh a ray of hope as they looked to bat with serenity that the side was searching for a long.

However the introduction of offspinner Michael Bracewell and legspinner Ish Sodhi titled the match towards New Zealand as the Bangladeshi batters failed to negotiate them well.

Bracewell dismissed Liton for 15 with a return catch to end the 41-run partnership between him and Shanto and then Sodhi struck twice in his consecutive two overs to expose Bangladesh's vulnerable middle order.

Sodhi's first victim was Shanto as he failed to read a googly of the bowler and then Mosaddek Hossain Saikat gifted his wicket, trying to charge the same bowler to be out for 2.

Shakib Al Hasan who traditionally batted at No.3 or 4 position, move down to No. 7 in a bid to promote the likes of Afif Hossain, Mosaddek and Yasir Ali but all of them failed to deliver.

Afif who was in form and deserved to be play at No.4 position, retained his place despite Shakib's return to the fold but this time he could score just 24 off 26.

Yasir Ali, fresh from his 21 ball-42 not out against Pakistan, also failed to get going as he scored just 7.

Shakib started well but Tim Southee removed him after he scored run-a-ball-16. Vice-captain Nurul Hasan Sohan went after the bowlers as the wicket were tumbling but his aggressive approach paid the dividends as Bangladesh reached close to 140. Sohan hit one four and two sixes to strike an unbeaten 25 off just 12.

All the fallen eight wickets of Bangladesh were shared by Trent Boult, Southee, Sodhi and Bracewell evenly.