Williamson makes strong comeback to thrash toothless Tigers
Kane Williamson brought up a half-century on his return to international cricket
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New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson made a strong comeback to the international cricket after six months long injury and helped his team for a big win against Bangladesh in Chennai, Friday.
Williamson played an innings of 78 runs before retiring hurt, with the company of Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell to beat the toothless Tigers by eight wickets.
Williamson was unlucky hit on the hand by the throw of Nazmul Hossain Shanto. He had his bat in the left hand, tried to bring the right hand closer to protect himself but the throw came in and hit him flush on the glove.
He waited for two balls but couldn't go on any further with the pain in thumb.
PHOTO: Kane Williamson was hit on the thumb of his left hand, ICC
To defend 245 runs, Bangladesh pacers Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam created some pressure in the first power play as Mustafiz nicked off New Zealand's in-form batter Rachin Ravindra after his consecutive fours in the third over of the innings before edging one to the wicketkeeper.
Ravindra scored a century against England and then a fifty versus Netherlands, had managed a 13-ball nine at the time of his dismissal leaving the Kiwis at one down for 12.
New Zealand posted only 37 in the first 10 overs.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan then trapped opener Conway lbw in the 21st over to leave the Kiwis at two down for 92 in pursuit of the target.
Prior to Conway's departure, Shakib created another opportunity when New Zealand captain clipped it to short mid-wicket, but Taskin Ahmed, who got his hands on the ball after diving, failed to pocket it.
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Shakib's tight lines paid off in his following over, when Conway, who was batting on 45 runs off 59 balls, failed to make contact while attempting a reverse sweep.
His dismissal brought Mitchell to crease and then with Williamson he made a match winning partnership of 108 off 109 balls.
Mitchell snatched the game from Bangladesh after Williamson's leave by a dashing 89 runs off 67 balls with six fours and four sixes.
Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored a fifty against England in his previous match, today also hit his 48th ODI fifty to carry Bangladesh batting line-up as they gave 246 target to the Kiwis.
Bangladesh's opening pair failed once again as the opening pair was broken on the first ball of the match by the departure of Litton Das.
Litton was celebrating his 29th birthday but any hopes of a big score to mark the occasion were shattered when he shuffled down the wicket to confront Trent Boult only to sky the ball to a grateful Henry who pocketed the chance at fine leg.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim could not increase the innings despite hitting some great boundaries in the counter attack and departed after scoring 16 runs.
Bangladesh scored 46 runs after losing 2 openers in the first power play.
Bangladesh lost three top order batsmen in 12 overs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who came to bat at number three, returned by a catch on the boundary trying to hit Lockie Ferguson for a six.
Ferguson was regularly giving short balls. Miraz was handling the fast pacer well but in the end he stepped into the trap. Couldn't pull properly, Matt Henry took the catch on the fine leg boundary. Miraz scored 30 runs off 46 balls.
Williamson brought off-spinner Glenn Phillips into the attack after seeing two left-handed batters captain Shakib al Hasan and his deputy Najmul Hossain Shanto at the crease. New Zealand's 'Golden Arm' rewarded the captain's trust by taking a wicket on the first ball.
Phillips dismissed Shanto (7 off 8) with a loose delivery. The left-handed batter created danger by playing a shot a little earlier. Devon Conway leapt forward and took the catch at midwicket.
Shakib threw his wicket away on the brink of a 100-run stand (96 off 106) with Mushfiqur to leave his side five down for 152.
Shakib had taken left-arm spinner Ravindra for 10 runs in the 29th over, and in the following over, he had smashed pacer Lockie Ferguson for a six before skipping a sharp and short delivery from the pacer.
Shakib’s dismissal with 40 off 51 brought Towhid Hridoy to the crease, who again failed on pitch (13).
A fantastic slower one from Henry surprised Mushfiq by not only the lack of pace but also by the lack of bounce to end a steady innings of 66 runs off 75 balls.
Mahmudullah Riyad, batting at number eight, added a valuable undefeated 41 and pacer Taskin Ahmed’s 17 runs off 19 balls help Bangladesh to reach 245.
Boult, meanwhile, became the sixth New Zealand player to take 200 ODI wickets.
Bangladesh opened their World Cup campaign with victory over Afghanistan before losing to defending champions England and now New Zealand.
