Bangladesh won two successive ODIs against a major opposition for the first time in history as they thrashed New Zealand by seven wickets on Monday.
Shahriar Nafees put on 127 runs for the opening stand with Imrul Kayes after the hosts' spinners had dismissed lackluster New Zealand for 173 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.
Nafees hammered a swashbuckling run-a-ball 73 including 13 fours while Kayes stroked a fine 50 off 83 balls, inclusive of four boundaries. The hosts' spinners had earlier dismissed New Zealand for 173 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.
Nafees hammered a swashbuckling run-a-ball 73 including 13 fours while Kayes stroked a fine 50 off 83 balls, inclusive of four boundaries, as the Tigers made 177 for 3 in 42.5 overs.
Nafees got himself out trying to up the tempo as he came down the track to drive Nathan McCullum inside out, only to hole out to his brother Brendan in the 25th over. One over later, Kayes gave Nathan his second wicket in a similar fashion, scooping to Grant Elliott.
Raqibul Hasan was unbeaten on 18 and Shakib Al Hasan on 13. Junaid Siddique made 14.
The second game of the five-match series was washed out on Oct 8 while Shakib Al Hasan's match-winning performance on Oct 5 drove the hosts to take a 1-0 lead.
Earlier, Bangladesh's slow bowlers took eight wickets between them to take the match in their grip. The Kiwis were reduced to 101 for 7, before Kyle Mills and Ross Taylor raised the total to give their bowlers something to bowl at.
Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and chose to field, and brought the spinners into the game early, having let the two seamers bowl eight overs between them. Shafiul Islam had removed the dangerous Brendon McCullum in the first over of the match, but Jesse Ryder and BJ Watling built a good foundation.
The introduction of the trio of left-arm spinners put brakes on the New Zealand run-rate. Watling soon fell attempting to hit over mid-on in the 14th over. Ryder also departed soon after, holing out to deep midwicket for 33, to give Suhrawadi Shuvo his first wicket of the match. Grant Elliott was then bowled by a superb Shakib delivery that broke sharply.
Taylor, who eventually remained unbeaten on 62, attempted to rebuild, first with Daniel Vettori (9), and then with Shanan Stewart, both oof whom perished cheaply. But he combined with tailender Mills in an explosive 72-run partnership. He slammed three sixes and two fours to bring up his fifty in 66 deliveries.
After the fielding restrictions came into play in the 37th over, a Rubel Hossain over leaked 17, one from Abdur Razzaq cost 13. Kyle Mills hit two huge straight sixes off Shakib.
Suhrawardy Shuvo was the pick of the bowlers with his incisive, economic spell of 3 for 14 in 10 overs. He was backed up by Shakib with two for 45 and Mahmudullah, 2 for six.
