T20I Tri-Series, New Zealand thrash Bangladesh: Key stats
New Zealand whipped Bangladesh to seize an eight-wicket win in the ongoing Tri-Series on Sunday. Devon Conway (70*) and Kane Williamson (30) were the architects in the chase (142/2). Earlier, Bangla Tigers racked up 137/8 thanks to Najmul Hossain Shanto (33) and a stupendous finish from Nurul Hasan (25*). NZ bowlers had a field day at work, with Michael Bracewell (2/14) as the show-stopper.
How did the match pan out?
Put to bat, Bangladesh lost Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the second over before Litton Das and Shanto steadied their innings. The duo added 41 runs before the former departed and Shanto followed soon. Bangladesh's middle-order crumbled, with Afif Hossain (24) and Nurul (25*) being the only positives. In exchange, NZ faced minor setbacks in Finn Allen and Kane Williamson as they steered home.
Nurul adds the finishing touch
Nurul is acing his role well down the order. He belted Sodhi for two maximums before finding a boundary off Boult in the final over. Interestingly, Nurul has doled out similar knocks in the last few months: 42*(26) vs Zimbabwe, 35*(25) vs UAE, 19*(10) vs UAE, and now 25*(12). The right-hander has steered to 400 runs while striking at 123.45.
100-plus wickets for spin maestro Sodhi
Despite being thumped in his final over, it was a night to remember for Sodhi. The leg-spinner wound up with 2/31 in four overs. He now owns 101 scalps in 78 appearances for the Black Caps, averaging 21.54. As per ESPNcricinfo, he has become only the second Kiwi bowler besides Tim Southee (117) to breach the 100-wicket mark in T20Is.
Sodhi unlocks a special feat
As per ESPNcricinfo, Sodhi is only the fifth bowler with 100 or more T20I scalps, ranking behind Shakib Al Hasan (122), Rashid Khan (118), Southee, and yorker specialist Lasith Malinga (107).
An eventful day for Kiwi bowlers
Sodhi was joined by Trent Boult (2/25), Southee (2/34), and Bracewell (2/14) in restricting the Tigers below 140. Left-armer Boult now holds 66 scalpings at 21.95, equalling the likes of R Ashwin and Ajantha Mendis while surpassing Stuart Broad (65) and Dale Steyn (64). Meanwhile, Bracewell, who bowls off-spin, has 11 wickets in his kitty at an astonishing average of 9.36.
The Kiwis extend the lead over Tigers
NZ can now boast of a 13-3 win-loss record against Bangladesh in the format. Interestingly, each of Bangladesh's wins were during the five-match home series in 2021, which they won by a 3-2 margin.
Conway eases the chase
Conway took Bangladesh's attack to the cleaners as he whacked his fifth T20I fifty. The wicket-keeper batter struck a four toward extra-cover to reach the 50-run mark in 36 deliveries. He fetched an 85-run stand with Williamson to cut back the chase. Conway, who clubbed his second T20I fifty versus the Tigers, has now gone past 800 runs in the format.
Williamson claims this honor
Williamson, who struck 24(27) and 31(30) prior to this inning, had another sluggish knock on offer. The Kiwi skipper managed a 29-ball 30 and hit a solitary four to his name. Nonetheless, Williamson (2,157) surpassed Brendon McCullum (2,140) to become NZ's second-highest run-getter in T20Is, behind Martin Guptill (3,497). The right-hander now averages 32.19 across 75 fixtures, with 14 half-centuries.
