Rain dashes Tigers' elusive series win over NZ, ends in draw 1-1
|| CF DESK ||
New Zealand won the third T20I against Bangladesh by 17 runs (DLS) to level the series 1-1 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
Chasing a small target, the host had to intake a tough challenge against the Tigers as Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan each struck twice to reduce New Zealand 49-5.
Mahedi Hasan dismissed New Zealand batters Tim Seifert (1) and Daryl Mitchell (1) while Shoriful scalped the prized wicket of Finn Allen on 38 and Glenn Philips for 1.
A valiant show by Neesham and Santner steadied their innings as they compiled a crucial 46-run partnership that helped the side to turn around.
Rain interrupted the play when New Zealand were on 95-5 after 14.4 overs, Neesham (28) and Santner (18) were unbeaten on the crease.
Earlier, Santner claimed a four-fer to bundle Bangladesh into 110 runs. Bangladesh were trapped in Santner's spin-web after they made a poor start to their innings losing top-order batters in the first powerplay.
Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 16 runs being one of the five players to be able to cross the double digits.
Soumya Sarkar (4) was the first to make his way back to the pavilion while batting first. An in-swinging delivery from Tim Southee trapped him leg-before.
Shanto and Rony Talukdar tried to rebuild but it wasn't enough as the captain departed with a catch to Finn Allen while attempting a shot against Milne, followed by Rony in the successive over.
Bangladesh could never recover from that situation and found themselves in trouble. Santner returned figures of 4-0-16-4, denying the Bangladesh middle order consisting of Towhid Hridoy (16), Afif Hossain (14) and Shamim Hossain (9).
The visitors won the opening T20I by 5 wickets, which was their first win in New Zealand in the shortest format of the game, followed by the second match being washed out due to rain.
Bangladesh lost the ODI leg of the tour by 1-2, but they demolished the Kiwis in the final ODI. It was a historic moment for the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side, as it was their maiden ODI win on New Zealand soil.
