FROM PAGE 12

Bangladesh had slumped to 32 for three in the ninth over.

New Zealand pacer William O’Rourke was the early destroyer, removing Saif Hassan (0), Tanzid Tamim (1), and Soumya Sarkar (18) after Bangladesh were put in to bat.

Shanto’s innings, featuring nine fours and two sixes, also ended his 20-innings drought for an ODI hundred. His previous ton came at the same venue in March 2024 against Sri Lanka.

Litton, too, ended a 19-innings drought for a fifty but fell short of a century, dismissed by Jayden Lennox in the 39th over.

Following the departures of Shanto and Litton, Bangladesh’s lower order again struggled to accelerate, adding just 61 runs in the final 10 overs to post 265 for eight.

Tawhid Hridoy remained unbeaten on 33 off 29 balls, but his innings drew criticism for poor match awareness as he failed to take strike at key moments while batting with the tail.

In reply, New Zealand also lost early wickets, but opener Nick Kelly anchored the innings with his second successive half-century of the series. However, once he was dismissed for 59 off 80 balls by Mustafizur, the visitors lost wickets in quick succession.

Mustafizur (5-43) turned the game in the middle overs, claiming four quick wickets to register his sixth five-wicket haul in ODIs. He now stands joint-second among left-arm pacers alongside Wasim Akram and Trent Boult for most fifers. Mitchell Starc leads with nine, while Waqar Younis holds the overall ODI record with 13.

Dean Foxcroft then produced a fighting 75 off 72 balls, including seven sixes, and added 50 runs for the last wicket with Ben Lister to briefly revive New Zealand’s hopes. However, his dismissal to Mehidy Hasan Miraz (2-36) ended the resistance as the visitors were bowled out for 210 in 44.5 overs.

Pacer Nahid Rana also took two wickets to finish with eight in the series and earned back-to-back Player of the Series awards, following the recent Pakistan ODI series.

Both teams will now turn their attention to a three-match T20I series, with the opener scheduled at the same venue on April 27.