United News of Bangladesh

Fast bowlers Blair Tickner and Nathan Smith orchestrated a late batting collapse to lead New Zealand to a 26-run victory over Bangladesh in the first ODI on Friday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The victory gives New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Defending what was thought to be a quite modest total of 247/8 after winning the toss and electing to bat first, New Zealand bowled out the hosts for 221 in 48.3 overs. Tickner claimed four wickets for 40 runs in his 10 overs, while Smith secured three for 45, effectively ending Bangladesh's chase by dismissing top-scorer Towhid Hridoy in the penultimate over. Bangladesh encountered immediate trouble in the fourth over of their chase. Smith bowled opener Tanzid Hasan for two and dismissed Najmul Hossain Shanto for a first-ball duck on consecutive deliveries, reducing the hosts to 21 for two. Saif Hassan and wicketkeeper Litton Das stabilized the innings with a 93-run partnership for the third wicket. Saif compiled a steady 57 off 76 balls, including eight boundaries, while Das contributed 46 from 68 deliveries. However, both established batters fell in the middle overs. Saif was caught off the bowling of Will O'Rourke, and Das was bowled by Dean Foxcroft, stalling the home team's momentum. Left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox applied further pressure with an economical spell, conceding just 32 runs in his 10 overs and dismissing Afif Hossain for 27. Hridoy anchored the lower-middle order, striking two fours and two sixes in a 60-ball 55. As the required run rate climbed above 10 runs per over, Tickner systematically dismantled the tail. In the 46th over, he caught and bowled Rishad Hossain and subsequently bowled Shoriful Islam on the next delivery. He followed up by bowling Taskin Ahmed in the 48th over. Smith secured the victory moments later by inducing a catch from Hridoy to deep midwicket. Earlier, New Zealand's innings was anchored by half-centuries from Henry Nicholls and Foxcroft. Following the early departure of Nick Kelly, Nicholls constructed a 68-run innings from 83 balls. He shared a 73-run stand with Will Young, who scored 30, before falling to leg-spinner Rishad Hossain. Foxcroft accelerated the scoring rate in the lower-middle order, striking eight boundaries to compile a brisk 59 from 58 balls before Nahid Rana breached his defense. Smith provided crucial late runs with an unbeaten 21 off 22 deliveries. Left-arm fast bowler Shoriful Islam led the Bangladesh bowling attack, delivering two maidens and conceding 27 runs while taking two wickets in 10 overs. Taskin Ahmed and Rishad Hossain also claimed two wickets each, conceding 50 and 44 runs, respectively. Pace sensation Nahid Rana once again worked up a good head of steam, touching the high-140s, but proved expensive, conceding 65 runs off his allotted 10 overs, for just one wicket.