The match started at 4 am Bangladesh time. Most people are still fast asleep. But sleepless cricket lovers are awake to see that elusive victory. Shanto- Soumya did not disappoint them this time. After bowling in the last and third one-day match of the series, Bangladesh played with the Kiwis with the bat as well. Nazmul Hossain Shanto's team took a huge score of 9 wickets by restricting the hosts to just 98 runs. This is Bangladesh's first ODI win at the Kiwis' ground.
The desired victory came after 17 matches. Bangladesh did not win even one of the 18 matches in the field of Kiwis. That poker was cut in the 19th match. A history-making win, that too by 9 wickets. Shanto-Miraj could not have had a better start to victory.
Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and decided to field first. There, the hosts were bowled out for just 98 runs in 31 overs by the pacers.
Two openers Soumya Sarkar and Enamul Haque Bijay started to chase this easy target from the very beginning. However, the centurion of the previous match, Soumya, had to return to the dressing room without getting out after 17 runs. Soumya left the field showing eye problems.
Then another opener, Vijay, quickly progressed towards victory by equalizing the runs. The 67 run pair for the second wicket was broken when the team returned to victory by 84 runs. Vijay returned with 37 runs off 33 balls with 7 fours. But Shanto continued the rampage. Picking up a fifty took the team to the port of victory in 15 overs 1 ball. Skipper Shanto left the field with a historic win at the Kiwis' ground with an unbeaten 51 off 42 balls with 8 fours.
The pacers kept the Kiwis under pressure from the start. Tanjim, who got a chance in the XI after two matches, returned Rachin Ravindra after the team scored 16 runs. Tanjim struck again in the Kiwi camp after the team scored 22 runs. Henry Nichols (1) is back.
Opener Will Young, who has been in rhythm throughout the series, continued to handle the initial shock with captain Tom Latham. However, the visitors did not allow them to settle down for long. Shariful is responsible for the pace attack. Latham (21) was bowled in the 17th over and took the wicket of Young (26) in his next over.
From there, only to add 37 runs, the rest of the 6 batters returned to dressing room. The innings of the Kiwis stopped at only 98 runs. This is why they have sunk in the record of shame. This is their lowest total against Bangladesh in ODI cricket.
Pacers have taken ten wickets. Soumya Sarkar, Tanjim Hasan Shakib and Shariful Islam all took three wickets each and Mustafizur Rahman took one.