Clinical New Zealand thump Bangladesh in T20I series opener

A complete team performance saw New Zealand thump Bangladesh in the first T20I at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Friday (December 2). The hosts built on the start given by Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, and then Lea Tahuhu led the bowling effort to skittle Bangladesh out for a paltry score of 32 to register their biggest win in terms of runs in the format.

Opting to bat first, although Devine started with a four, boundaries were hard to come by in the first three overs. However, they finished with a flourish in the power play hitting five fours in the next three overs. With Devine going strong, Bates was also starting to take on the bowlers as she hit Fahima Khatun for two consecutive boundaries in the tenth over. 

In the 11th over, Bangladesh broke the partnership as Bates moved across the off stump, but only managed to put a dragged-down delivery from Nahida Akter straight to short square-leg. Amelia Kerr also started with a boundary and she didn’t let the fall of Devine affect her. 

However, it was Maddy Green who gave New Zealand the final flourish with a 23-ball 36 not out, Tahuhu also contributed with a couple of boundaries at the end. White Ferns eventually ended their innings on 164 for the loss of only three wickets.

Chasing 165 for a win, the visitors could never come to terms with the conditions and kept losing wickets with alarming regularity. Hayley Jensen was the first to strike as she removed Murshida Khatun in the third over. 

Meanwhile, Tahuhu got going in the next over with the wicket of debutant Dilara Akter and Nigar Sultana lasted only two balls. Once they lost their skipper, Bangladesh looked hapless and found it difficult to deal with the varied attack of New Zealand.

They were in dire straits at the end of the power play with Tahuhu picking up her third wicket and the score card read 13 for 5 at this stage.

It didn’t stop there for Bangladesh as wickets continued to fall in a heap and Tahuhu could have had a five-wicket haul, but unfortunately for her, Green – who donned the gloves in place of debutant Jess McFayden, who fell ill after the toss - dropped a catch behind the stumps. 

Bangladesh lasted only till the 15th over and they were bowled out for just 32 runs with Fran Jonas picking up two wickets in the over. None of their batters made it to double figures and there was only one boundary in the whole innings.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 164/3 in 20 overs (Sophie Devine 45, Suzie Bates 41, Maddy Green 36*; Jahanara Alam 1/26) beat Bangladesh 32/10 in 14.5 overs (Lea Tahuhu 4/6, Hayley Jensen 3/8, Fran Jonas 2/2) by 132 runs POTM: Lea Tahuhu