New Zealand vs Bangladesh 2021, 2nd T20I: New Zealand Win Series After Rain-Interrupted Revised Target Confusion

While the second T20I between the hosts New Zealand and the visitors Bangladesh faced multiple interruptions due to rain and controversial revised target confusions, the hosts ultimately won the game by 28 runs (DLS method) despite the visitors strong reply with the bat. With this latest victory, New Zealand have taken the 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series with one more match to go.

Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah won the toss and chose to field first. New Zealand scored 173/5 in 17.5 overs while they faced two rain interruptions. Bangladesh ultimately got the revised target of 171 runs in 16 overs but they managed to score 142/ in 16 overs.

New Zealand vs Bangladesh 2021, 2nd T20I

2nd innings (Bangladesh): Soumya Sarkar fired up amid revised target dramas

At the beginning of the chasing, Bangladesh got the target of 148 runs in 16 overs. But nine balls later, the revised target was corrected to 170 runs in 16 overs. Far more later, the revised target was once again corrected to 171 runs in 16 overs.

Hamish Bennett dismissed the opener Liton Das very early as Bangladesh were batting on 13/1 in 2 overs. But then another opener Mohammad Naim and Soumya Sarkar set up a strong partnership where Sarkar managed to bat in an aggressive way. They built up the 81 runs partnership for the second wicket as Sarkar completed his fifty in 25 balls.

But soon after his fifty, Sarkar was dismissed by New Zealand captain Tim Southee for 51 off 27 balls (5 fours and 3 sixes). Later, Glenn Phillips took the wicket of opener Naim for 38 runs. After that, the visitors lost control of the match as they lost some more quick wickets.

Though captain Mahmudullah scored 21 off 12 balls with the help of 4 fours, the other batters failed to handle the massive required run-rate pressure as only Mahedi Hasan managed to score the double-digit runs by remaining not out on 12 runs off just 6 balls (only six).

Among the New Zealand bowlers, Tim Southee (2/21), Hamish Bennett (2/31) and Adam Milne (2/34) all got two wickets each while Glenn Phillips (1/20) also picked up a wicket.

1st innings (New Zealand): Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell secured the 170+ total in incomplete innings

The hosts started in a firing way but Bangladesh bowlers managed to pick up wickets at regular intervals. In the fourth over, Taskin Ahmed got the wicket of opener Finn Allen (17). Later, another opening batsman Martin Guptill lost his wicket on the last ball of the powerplay as Mohammad Saifuddin dismissed for 21 runs as Taskin Ahmed took a brilliant catch at short fine.

On the very next ball, wicket-keeper batsman Devon Conway lost his wicket for 15 runs as Shoriful Islam picked up that wicket. After the 39 runs partnership for the fourth wicket between Will Young and Glenn Phillips, Young was stumped out for 14 runs as Mahedi Hasan got his first wicket of the match.

When New Zealand were batting on 102/4 in 12.2 overs, the rain stopped the game. The game restarted around 25 minutes later when Mark Chapman (7) was quickly caught & bowled by Mahedi Hasan. But then Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell fired up the Bangladesh bowlers as they set up the 62 runs partnership in just 4.1 overs for the unbroken sixth-wicket.

When New Zealand were batting on 173/5 in 17.5 overs, rain once again stopped the game. At that period, Glenn Phillips scored 58 not out off 31 balls (5 fours and 2 sixes) and Mitchell scored 34 not out off 16 balls (6 fours). Due to the rain, that innings wasn’t possible to restart once again as the match directly was restarted from the Bangladesh innings.

Brief Scores: New Zealand – 173/5 in 17.5 overs (Glenn Phillips 58*, Daryl Mitchell 34*; Mahedi Hasan 2/45)

Bangladesh (Revised Target: 171 in 16 overs) – 142/7 in 16 overs (Soumya Sarkar 51, Mohammad Naim 38; Tim Southee 2/21)

Result – New Zealand won by 28 runs (DLS method)