Devon Conway’s unbeaten 92-run knock followed by a sublime bowling performance by Ish Sodhi propelled New Zealand to a massive 66-run win against Bangladesh in the first T20I International in Hamilton on Sunday.
Conway’s knock and Will Young’s (53) fifty powered New Zealand to a total of 210 before bowlers restricted Bangladesh to 144 runs. With this win, New Zealand took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Chasing the target, opener Mohammad Naim helped Bangladesh to begin on a high as the team scored 16 runs off the first two overs. However, the first wicket fell in the third over. Tim Southee dismissed Liton Das, who scored four.
Lockie Ferguson, in the fifth over, got hold of Naim (27). From there on, the whole momentum shifted towards New Zealand’s side as the visitors lost wickets in quick succession. Ish Sodhi picked two wickets in the sixth over before scalping two again in his next over. After the completion of eight overs, Bangladesh’s score read 59/6.
Mohammad Saifuddin and Afif Hossain then took charge of the chase. Both mixed caution with aggression and provided some momentum to the team although the match had already slipped off Bangladesh’s hands. Both formed a 63-run partnership before Ferguson dismissed Hossain (45).
Mohammad Saifuddin scored 10 runs off the final over, bowled by Daryl Mitchell, as visitors scored 144 from their allotted overs.
After opting to bat first, New Zealand got off to a poor start with Finn Allen being sent back to the pavilion in the very first over of the innings on a duck. Martin Guptill was then joined by Devon Conway. Both played brilliantly and took the team over the 50-run mark in the seventh over but in the same over, Nasum Ahmed dismissed Guptill (35).
Will Young then came in the middle. Conway formed a magnificent partnership with Young and put New Zealand in control. Both struck regular boundaries and took the team’s score past 100 in the 12 over. The duo kept hitting boundaries and formed a 105-run partnership, with both completing their respective half-centuries.
Mahedi Hasan handed Bangladesh the much-needed breakthrough after he got hold of Young (53) in the 17th over. In the final overs, Conway and Glenn Phillips hit Bangladesh bowlers all around the park and took the team’s total to 210. Conway scored 92 off just 52 balls while Phillips played a knock of 24 runs from 10 deliveries.
