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Bangladesh win second T20I by 4 runs against New Zealand, take 2-0 lead in 5-match series New Zealand Series
twitter.com/ICC The victorious Bangladesh T20I team against New Zealand

Bangladesh win second T20I by 4 runs against New Zealand, take 2-0 lead in 5-match series

Bangladesh Live News | @banglalivenews | 04 Sep 2021, 11:45 am

Dhaka, September 4: After an embarrassing 60 all out in the first T20I against Bangladesh, visitors New Zealand came back strongly in the second match, yet losing by just four runs as the hosts took a 2-0 lead in the five match series, at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah Riyad's men posted a par score of 141 runs for the loss of six wickets.

The Bangladeshi openers started slowly, scoring a run-a-ball 36 runs in the power play. Liton Das (33) was the first to be dismissed in the 10th over, after he and his partner Mohammad Naim (39) added 59 runs for the first wicket.

After sending back Liton, the Blackcaps were overjoyed to see the back of Mushfiqur Rahim, who was picked in the very first ball.

Shakib Al Hasan played a hand of 12 before returning back to the pavillion as well.

Mahmudullah's unbeaten 37 and Nurul Hasan's 13 not out helped them go past the 140-mark.

Afif Hossain made three runs.

For the visitors, left arm spinner Rachin Ravindra picked up three wickets for 22 runs in his four overs. Spin twins Ajaz Patel and Cole McConchie and pacer Hamish Bennett accounted for one wicket each.

New Zealand started well but lost two quick wickets before scoring 20 runs. Shakib accounted for Ravindra (10) and Mahedi Hasan picked up Tom Blundell (6) to reduce the Blackcaps at 18 runs for the loss of two wickets.

However, a steady hand by Will Young (22) and skipper Tom Latham stabilised the innings.

But Shakib struck again, breaking the 43-run partnership.

Meanwhile, Latham kept on fighting, and ended with an unbeaten 65 runs off 49 balls.

In the end, McConchie's 15 off 12 deliveries was not enough to take his team over the finishing line.

Shakib and Mahedi picked up two wickets each, while Nasum Ahmed accounted for one Blackcaps batsman.