Khairul Alam From Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium – Bangladesh pulled off a stunning chase to hunt down a mountain-like target of 183 runs, securing a 6-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first T20I of the three-match series.
A clinical half-century from Towhid Hridoy and a late-over blitz by Shamim Hossain Patwari turned a mounting pressure situation into a historic win at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
A New Record Against the Kiwis
With this victory, Phil Simmons’ disciples have set a new milestone. This is now Bangladesh’s highest successful run chase against New Zealand in T20Is, shattering the previous record of 135 runs.
Overall, Bangladesh’s highest T20I chase remains the 215 runs they tracked down against Sri Lanka in 2018.
Turning Point: The Shamim-Hridoy Show
The match seemed to be slipping away when Bangladesh needed 48 runs off the final 30 balls. However, Shamim Hossain and Towhid Hridoy shifted gears into “beast mode.”
The 16th over proved to be the turning point as Shamim struck an incredible “no-look” six off Nathan Smith, yielding 18 runs from the over.
Shamim didn’t stop there; in the 17th over, he tore the Kiwi bowling apart, smashing three fours and a six to collect 25 runs. He remained unbeaten on 31 off just 13 balls.
At the other end, Towhid Hridoy anchored the chase with a sublime 51 off 27 balls, featuring 2 fours and 3 sixes, guiding the Tigers to the finish line in just 18 overs.
The Foundation
Despite a slow start from openers Saif Hassan (17) and Tanzid Hasan Tamim (20), and a brief stay by Captain Litton Das (21), Parvez Hossain Emon provided the necessary momentum.
Emon’s fiery cameo of 28 off 14 balls (strike rate 200) gave the middle order the confidence to go for the kill.
New Zealand’s Innings
Earlier, after being sent in to bat, New Zealand posted a formidable 182/6. Katene Clarke (51) and Dane Cleaver (51) both notched half-centuries, threatening a 200-plus total.
However, leg-spinner Rishad Hossain triggered a mid-innings collapse, finishing with 2 for 32. Late contributions from Captain Nick Kelly (39) and Josh Clarkson (27) ensured a challenging total, which ultimately proved insufficient against the Tigers’ batting firepower.