At the halfway stage in Dhaka on Monday, Bangladesh would've have had a nagging feeling of familiarity. Just three days before they were in this very position, needing to chase a sub-250 total. They failed and allowed New Zealand to draw first blood in the three-match ODI series. In the second fixture, they found themselves in a similarly slippery situation, where they were set an even lower target, as New Zealand folded for 198.
But this time, better batting sense prevailed to ensure their bowlers' efforts didn't count for nothing. After pacer Nahid Rana's 5-32 dismantled the visitors despite opener Nick Kelly's fighting 102-ball 83, Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain delivered the win with half-centuries. Only Najmul's cramps that led him to retire hurt sullied an otherwise perfect evening for the hosts as they secured series parity.
Rana reduced New Zealand to 28/2 in the 10th over before short but key stands revived New Zealand. Kelly was at the centre of those, adding 56 with Muhammad Abbas and 37 with Dean Foxcroft. Shoriful Islam denied Kelly a century, taking him out in the 37th over for 83. New Zealand just crumbled from that point on, falling from 145/5 to 198 all-out. Abbas's 19 was the second best batting effort on New Zealand's sorry scorecard.
Bangladesh lost Saif Hassan and Soumya Sarkar in the first four overs of the chase but a 120-run third-wicket partnership between Najmul and Tanzid pushed the chase forward. Tanzid kickstarted the push back early after the two quick wickets, smashing Nathan Smith for two sixes in the fifth over. Najmul then hit William O'Rourke for two boundaries in the sixth. The fours kept coming as Bangladesh flew to 67/2 in 10 overs, staying way ahead of the asking rate.
New Zealand pacer Blair Tickner, who dismantled the hosts in the first fixture, was taken to the cleaners in the second game - finishing with 0-35 in 5 overs. Tom Latham tried spin against the batters too but to no avail as they pushed the team further, to 124/2 in 20 overs. In the 23rd over, left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox broke the stand but it was already too late. He then dismissed Litton Das, and Najmul trudged off due to cramps, but Towhid Hridoy (30* off 31) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz saw the chase through in the 36th over.
@B0$ New Zealand 198 in 48.4 overs (Nick Kelly 83; Nahid Rana 5-32) lost to Bangladesh 199/4 in 35.3 overs (Tanzid Hasan Tamim 76, Najmul Hossain Shanto 50) by 6 wickets
