On a slow, low surface at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, New Zealand's pacers combined for eight of the ten Bangladeshi wickets to fall, orchestrating a thrilling 26-run win in the first ODI on Friday (April 17).
New Zealand got off to a slow start upon electing to bat. Nick Kelly endured a laborious 23-ball 7-run stay before he was cleaned up by Shoriful Islam, who was an afterthought in the Bangladesh XI courtesy a late injury to Mustafizur Rahman. The visitors mustered just 29 in the first nine overs before Will Young got to work with Henry Nicholls. The duo stabilised the innings with a 73-run stand that was brought to an end by leggie Rishad Hossain, who nabbed Young for 30.
Thereafter, Bangladesh kept chipping away at regular intervals. Skipper Tom Latham couldn't contribute much even as Nicholls raised a fifty, eventually falling for 68 as Rishad bagged his second wicket. Muhammad Abbas and Josh Clarkson also departed cheaply, even as they gave Dean Foxcroft company for a decent period of time. Foxcroft, who bagged a golden duck at this very venue on ODI debut in 2023, pushed the initiative forward in what was just his second ODI, notching up a brisk half-century that took New Zealand well past 200.
Post his dismissal in the 47th over, New Zealand failed to score a single boundary although they batted out their quota of 50 overs, finishing on 247/8 with Nathan Smith chipping in with a handy unbeaten 21. Shoriful emerged as the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 2/27 in an impeccable 10-over spell that also included two maidens.
In response, Saif Hassan received a lifeline as Nicholls shelled a sitter at slip in the second over. But Smith picked up wickets off consecutive deliveries, castling Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Najmul Hossain Shanto to leave Bangladesh in a spot of bother. Saif, who began positively, continued to go for the boundary, even smashing a free hit for a six over long on. With the experienced Litton Das for company, Bangladesh rode on a 93-run partnership to set the platform to achieve the target.
But both set batters were dismissed within the space of five overs, with Saif falling to William O'Rourke for 57 and Foxcroft prising out Das for 46. Despite that mini-wobble, a 52-run fifth-wicket stand between Towhid Hridoy (55 off 60) and Afif Hossain (27 off 49) put Bangladesh in pole position again, even as the spinners applied the choke.
Except, the chase went haywire in the death overs as Bangladesh crashed from 184/4 to 214/9. While left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox removed Afif, seamer Blair Tickner (4 for 40) ripped into the lower-order as a famed batting collapse ensued for the hosts. With 33 runs needed off the last two overs, Hridoy reached his half-century with a six before Nicholls completed a stunning catch at deep mid-wicket to hand the visitors a thrilling win. That New Zealand bowled as many as 20 wides did not matter on the day, as they romped to a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.
@B0$ New Zealand 247/8 in 50 overs (Henry Nicholls 68, Dean Foxcroft 59; Shoriful Islam 2-27, Rishad Hossain 2-44) beat Bangladesh 221 in 48.3 overs (Saif Hassan 57, Towhid Hridoy 55; Blair Tickner 4-40, Nathan Smith 3-45) by 26 runs.
