Litton Das Leads Bangladesh to Historic Away T20I Victory Against New Zealand
Despite Facing Difficulties Early On, Litton Held His Nerve, Guiding Bangladesh To A 1-0 Lead In The Series.
In a historic feat, Bangladesh secured a remarkable five-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first game of the three-match T20I series in Napier. This triumph marked Bangladesh's maiden T20I win on New Zealand soil. Chasing a challenging target of 135, opener Litton Das played a pivotal role, displaying composure as he anchored the innings. Despite facing difficulties early on, Litton held his nerve, guiding Bangladesh to a 1-0 lead in the series.
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Facing a modest total of 134, Bangladesh encountered early setbacks with the dismissals of Rony Talukdar and Najmul Hossain Shanto. The Black Caps' spinners initially instilled hope for the home side, but Litton, in partnership with Soumya Sarkar and Towhid Hridoy, steered Bangladesh to 96-4 after 13 overs. Despite losing three quick wickets, including that of Afif Hossain, Litton found support in the No. 7 batter Mahedi Hasan.
Litton's strategic boundary-hitting, including a leg-side four off Adam Milne and a 10-run over against Ben Sears, alleviated the pressure. A crucial 14-run over from Sears turned the tide in Bangladesh's favor. Mahedi sealed the victory by hitting Milne for a six over cover and securing two more in the deep, followed by a tempting four.
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Earlier, New Zealand's batting struggled, losing three wickets before posting a total of 134/9 in 20 overs. Shoriful Islam's impressive bowling performance, claiming 3-26, contributed to Bangladesh's dominance. The victory underscored Bangladesh's growing prowess in T20I cricket and set the stage for an intriguing remainder of the series.
