NZ vs BAN | Soumya Sarkar's 169 Go In Vain As New Zealand Take Unassailable 2-0 Lead
NZ beat Ban by 7 wickets [PC: X]
Brief Score: New Zealand - 296/3 (46.2 Overs), Henry Nicholls 95 (99), Will Young 89 (94); Hasan Mahmud 2/57 (7), Shoriful Islam 1/49 (9) beat Bangladesh - 291/10, Soumya Sarkar 169 (151), Mushfiqur Rahman 45 (57); Jacob Duffy 3/51 *(10), William ORourke 3/47 (9.5) by 7 wickets.
Riding on the back of a disciplined bowling performance and a comfortable chase with the bat, New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 7 wickets in the 2nd ODI at Saxton Oval in Nelson. The kiwis registered their 18th straight win over Bangladesh at home and gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Soumya Sarkar’s record-breaking ton propels Bangladesh to a formidable total
Soumya Sarkar top-scored with 169(151) [PC: X]
After being asked to bat first, Bangladesh posted 291-run total, thanks to a magnificent century from Soumya Sarkar. Sarkar, who opened the innings, found his side 4 down with just 80 on the board inside the first 17 overs.
Veteran keeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim joined hands with Sarkar and did the rebuilding process. The duo added 91 runs for the fifth wicket as Rahim had to depart for a well made 45 with more than 15 overs to go.
However, Sarkar still kept himself going and reached his third ODI century, first in five long years. The southpaw was dropped thrice by the kiwis and it was an opportunity well taken. Sarkar did have some trouble with his left hand but the 30-year-old batted till the last over and ensured his side reached a competitive total on what looked like a good wicket to bat on.
From a bowling perspective, Jacob Duffy was the pick of the bowlers for the Blackcaps as he disrupted the batting side with some important early blows. William ORourke too scalped three wickets to his name.
Will Young, Henry Nicholls set up NZ’s chase
Henry Nicholls and Will Young [PC: X]
Chasing 292, New Zealand got off to a flying start as they managed 61 on the board without losing any wicket inside the first 10 overs. Will Young, who scored a century in the last game, played a second fiddle to an aggressive Rachin Ravindra early in the chase.
The pair added 76 runs for the first wicket before Ravindra got dismissed after a well made 45 off 33. Young, on the other hand, shifted his gears following the wicket of Ravindra and completed his successive half-century.
Henry Nicholls soon joined in the party and reached his fifty as well. Young, who was very much set to score another century, fell 11 short due to an unfortunate caught and bowled dismissal. Nicholls, on the other end, too missed out on his hundred by 5 runs but ensured that New Zealand were home comfortably.
 "Kaushik Kashyap")
