Bangladesh began the T20I series against New Zealand in emphatic fashion bowling them out for 60 – NZ's joint lowest-total ever in men's T20Is – in the first T20I at Dhaka on Wednesday. Only two players entered double digits – Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls with 18 – and were the joint highest scorers for the team. For Bangladesh, Nasum Ahmed, Shakib-Al-Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin picked up two wickets each, while Mustafizur Rahman grabbed 3/13.
This is the second instance of New Zealand getting out for 60 in T20 internationals. Before this, in a match in 2014, New Zealand bowled out for 60 against Sri Lanka, which incidentally also happened in Bangladesh. This is also the lowest T20I total by any team against Bangladesh, who now have bowled the opposition out for less than 100 in back-to-back games. Before this, Bangladesh had rolled over Australia for 62 in the fifth T20I, securing the series 4-1.
Bangladesh spinners choked New Zealand from the get go, with both debutants – Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie – falling for ducks. After being reduced to 9/4, New Zealand got a small partnership going between Latham and Nicholls, who added 34 runs. However, once the partnership was broken, New Zealand appeared clueless and lost their last five wickets for 17 runs.
Before the start of the series, Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah had warned the team that it can’t afford to be complacent against the current New Zealand unit, which is without some of its key players for the tour. With IPL-bound players unavailable such as Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Lockie Ferguson, Latham was appointed skipper for New Zealand’s white-ball tours, which would see the Black Caps play five T20Is against Bangladesh and three ODIs and five T20Is in Pakistan.
{{/usCountry}}Before the start of the series, Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah had warned the team that it can’t afford to be complacent against the current New Zealand unit, which is without some of its key players for the tour. With IPL-bound players unavailable such as Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Lockie Ferguson, Latham was appointed skipper for New Zealand’s white-ball tours, which would see the Black Caps play five T20Is against Bangladesh and three ODIs and five T20Is in Pakistan.
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