Playing his first aggressive worldwide sport in almost seven months after knee surgical procedure, Kane Williamson did what he does finest – shepherd a difficult chase with a masterly knock (78 retired harm, 108b, 8×4, 1×6) to information New Zealand to an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh right here on the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.
In pursuit of 246, the Black Caps misplaced opener Rachin Ravindra early earlier than Williamson and Devon Conway weathered a superb spell of tempo bowling by the 2 left-arm seamers Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam.
HIGHLIGHTS | New Zealand vs Bangladesh ICC World Cup
Williamson was cautious initially earlier than he wielded his trademark strokes on an uncharacteristic Chepauk pitch that was extra pleasant to the seamers with bounce and tempo. He began with a lower, over level earlier than a backfoot punch by covers off Shoriful to get going after being two off 19 balls at one level.
From there on, it was a typical Williamson knock, with deft late cuts, paddles over superb leg and use of toes to loft Shakib Al Hasan over the leg-side.
At the opposite finish, Conway did his bit with a cameo of 45 earlier than he was trapped leg-before making an attempt to reverse-sweep Shakib.
However, Williamson retired harm when he copped a blow on his left thumb from a throw on the bowler’s finish whereas finishing a single. He hung round for an over earlier than strolling off in ache, however not earlier than he had put his facet firmly within the driver’s seat with a 108-run stand (109 balls) with Daryl Mitchell for the third wicket.
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Mitchell rode his luck initially – his mistimed photographs both falling brief or fielders unable to catch it on the ropes and keep inside – to complete with an unbeaten 89 (67b 6×4, 4×6) to seal New Zealand’s third consecutive win of the World Cup.
Earlier, electing to area first, New Zealand restricted Bangladesh to 245 for 9, because of Lockie Ferguson’s (three for 49) fiery spell of quick bowling during which he used the short-pitched stuff to good impact.
The Tigers began on the fallacious foot when Litton Das charged right down to Trent Boult and flicked the very first ball straight to the throat of Matt Henry at superb leg, who took a superb catch after initially overrunning it. But Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tanzid Hasan rapidly acquired the innings again on observe by going for his or her photographs and located 4 boundaries every.
The Kiwis then acquired on prime of proceedings when Ferguson struck twice. He first had Tanzid, flicking a half-volley to sq. leg earlier than bouncing out Miraz, caught at superb leg making an attempt a pull.
Soon, Bangladesh discovered itself at 56 for 4 when Najmul Hossain Shanto was caught at short-midwicket making an attempt to work off-spinner Glenn Phillips by the leg-side solely to get a forefront because the supply stopped a bit after pitching.
Walking in at six, Mushfiqur bailed his facet out and seemed in full management, taking over the bowlers proper from the second he walked in.
He began by slog-sweeping and reverse-sweeping Glenn Phillips for a six and boundary one over. Even when challenged by the barrage of short-pitch stuff from the quicks, the previous Bangladesh skipper used the late cuts by slips and upper-cuts over third-man to search out boundaries simply.
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Mushfiqur and skipper Shakib (40) stitched a 96-run stand for the fifth wicket off 108 balls to get the Asian group again on observe.
But Shakib, in a bid to get a transfer on, perished making an attempt to tug Ferguson one time too many instances. After top-edging the short for a six over superb leg, he tried to repeat the shot off the following ball solely to scoop it to the keeper Tom Latham, who took a superb catch operating behind.
Mushfiqur’s innings ended when he was bowled by a Matt Henry off-cutter that saved low. Later, Mahmadullah’s unbeaten 41 helped Bangladesh get to only about par rating, however it was not sufficient to keep away from a second straight defeat.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
