Bangladesh created history on Wednesday in Dhaka after beating New Zealand in the fourth T20I of the five-match series to take a 3-1 unassailable lead. Riding on some brilliant bowling display, the home side once again rattled the Blackcaps batting order and bundled them out for 93 in 19.3 overs.
Nasum Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman scalped four-wicket haul each while Mahedi Hasan and Saifuddin had a wicket each to their names.
The visitors had another disappointing start to the proceedings after losing a couple of early wickets before captain Tom Latham and Will Young joined hands and steadied the ship for the team with a 35-run stand for the third wicket.
But Latham’s departure for 21 off 26 saw a fall of wickets at regular intervals and New Zealand were soon left tottering at 91/8 to eventually get bowled out. Young top-scored with 46 off 48 during the course.
In reply, the home side too lost an early wicket after Liton Das was undone by McConchie for 6 off 11. But Mohammad Naim and Shakib Al Hasan then complied 26 runs for the second wicket before Shakib was sent back in the hut by Ajaz Patel. The left-hander was stumped out for a run-a-ball 8.
Patel then had another scalp in a quick succession after he cleaned up Mushfiqur Rahim for a duck. Bangladesh were in a spot of bother at 32/3 when Naim was joined by captain Mahmudullah in the middle and the two batsmen put 35 runs for the fourth wicket before Naim was runout for 29.
But Mahmudullah and Afif Hossain made sure that there were no more fall of wickets as they anchored the side to a win in the last over. Mahmudullah remained not out for 43 off 48 that included a couple of maximums.
Latham later lauded Bangladesh and also accepted that the visiting team failed to put up a defendable total in the innings. “We were probably a bit under-par. We were looking at around the 110 mark but ended up a bit light. Credit to how Bangladesh batted. We got early wickets but they had it under control,” he said after the match.
Bangladesh have been in some good form in the T20I format. They earlier defeated Australia 4-1 in a five-match series and followed it with this winning triumph against the Kiwis.
The two sides will now face each other in the final T20I on Friday.