Cricket: Bangladesh coast to historic T20 international win over Blackcaps

Bangladesh have comfortably beaten the Blackcaps by five wickets in the first Twenty20 international in Napier, chasing down their modest target of 135 with eight balls to spare. 

The ninth-ranked tourists were on the front foot throughout the match at McLean Park after winning the toss and capturing the first three New Zealand wickets for just one run. 

They didn't take their foot off the throat, going on to post their first T20 win over the Black Caps on New Zealand soil, having lost the nine previous attempts. 

They achieved the same maiden feat in the one-day international format last week - also in Napier - even though they lost that series 2-1. 

Bangladesh celebrate a wicket.
Bangladesh celebrate a wicket. Photo credit: Getty Images

Given their momentum, Bangladesh will fancy their chances of clinching the three-match T20 series, with the two remaining games staged in Mt Maunganui on Friday and Sunday. 

After restricting New Zealand to 134/9, Bangladesh looked in control throughout their response, with opener Litton Das finishing on 42 not out. 

He received lively support from several team-mates, most notably Soumya Sarkar, who scored 22 off 15 balls. 

New Zealand threatened to apply the brakes at times, most notably during the four-over spell of left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, the captain taking 1/16 in a tight spell through the middle stages. 

A crucial moment came early in the 18th over when Das struck Ben Sears for six, with the shot having been caught in the outfield by Ish Sodhi before the Blackcaps fielder stood on the boundary rope. 

Earlier, allrounder Jimmy Neesham scored 48 off 29 balls for New Zealand, who spent their innings rebuilding from a horror start. 

Neesham struck four fours and three sixes but was the only Black Cap to go past 25 as the Bangladesh attack showed the sort of intent that carried to victory in the third and final ODI at the same venue last Saturday. 

The tourists exploited lively early conditions to remove openers Finn Allen (one) and Tim Seifert (duck) while Glenn Phillips departed without scoring after being trapped LBW without offering a shot. 

As was the case in the ODI series, seamer Shoriful Islam was the most effective Bangladesh bowler, taking 3/26 off four overs, including Santner for 23 after the Blackcaps captain put on 41 for the sixth wicket with Neesham. 

Speaking after the game, NZ top-scorer Neesham was philosophical about the result.

"You can't dwell too much on a loss [in T20]," said the allrounder. "The way you lose is probably more important than the actual loss. I think we've got a couple of things we probably need to tidy up on and have needed to.

"But full credit to Bangladesh. They obviously came out very passionately at the start of the game and got some momentum. Another day we could have got 15 or 20 more and that might have been the difference.

"They played well obviously and deserved the win." 

The series now shifts to Mount Maunganui for the second match on Friday.

RNZ/Newshub.

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