SAMSUL AREFIN KHAN

Experience-wise, Bangladesh were far ahead of the current New Zealand squad, but it ultimately counted for little as the visitors secured a 26-run win in the opening fixture of the three-match ODI series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

Bangladesh players had a combined 761 ODI appearances compared to New Zealand’s 368 before the match. Only four members of Bangladesh’s 15-man squad had played fewer than 10 ODIs, whereas eight in New Zealand’s 14-member group fell into that category. Moreover, only Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and Will Young had prior experience of international cricket in Bangladesh.

Those numbers, however, had little bearing once play began. New Zealand posted a competitive 247 for eight, built on half-centuries from Nicholls (68 off 83) and Dean Foxcroft (59 off 58) on a tricky Mirpur surface, executing their plans effectively against a side that have struggled in chases.

Over the past two years, the Tigers have failed to win a single match while chasing 250 or more, with their highest successful chase in this period being 115-2 against Pakistan in March -- the only success in eight attempts.

Despite losing two early wickets, the hosts recovered through a 93-run third-wicket stand between Saif Hassan and Litton Das, which came off 116 balls and left them needing 134 in more than 27 overs.

The quick dismissals of Saif (57) and Litton (46), however, shifted the momentum, leaving the lower middle-order with the task of finishing the chase. That phase proved decisive, as Tawhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain and captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz allowed the innings to stall despite having six wickets in hand.

Afif, returning to the ODI side after a 16-month hiatus, made 27 off 49 without a boundary, struggling to rotate strike, while Mehidy managed just six off 14. By the time he fell in the 44th over, the required rate had climbed to nearly nine, having been under five earlier.

Eventually, Hridoy’s 55 off 60 came too late, with Bangladesh already eight down, as they were bowled out for 221 in 48.3 overs.

Although the pitch became more challenging due to uneven bounce, New Zealand’s pacers -- Blair Tickner (4-40) and Nathan Smith (3-45) -- adapted well with disciplined, slower-paced deliveries.

Miraz and teammates will rue a missed opportunity. With a solid platform in place, the lower middle-order needed composure, but too many dot balls and a tendency to take the game deep proved costly.

Saif later admitted that a “prolonged period of dot balls” and wickets at key moments hurt the chase, noting they were “in the match until around the 22nd or 23rd over” before falling behind -- they went 90 balls without a boundary from 24th over -- while insisting the opposition’s relative inexperience was “not a factor” given their skill level.

“Hridoy was there -- if we, the other batsmen, could have supported him a bit more, it might have been easier.

“The wicket was fine -- we had an idea of how it might behave. But it was a bit more uneven than expected. Still, there’s no point in giving excuses,” he said.