In a display of fearless cricket, Bangladesh defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the opening T20I at Chattogram’s iconic stadium. The hosts chased down 183 in 18 overs, losing only four wickets, thanks to a match-winning half-century from Towhid Hridoy.
The chase began steadily with Saif Hassan (17 off 16) and Tanzid Tamim (20 off 25) adding 41. Litton Das’s 21 off 15 ended via Sodhi’s yorker, putting pressure on the middle order. But Parvez Hossain Emon (28 off 14) and Hridoy ignited the innings with 57 runs in 28 balls.
Hridoy, unbeaten on 51 from 27 balls (2×4, 3×6), then combined with Shamim Hossain (31* off 13) for an unbroken 49-run stand. Their aggression dismantled New Zealand’s bowling.
New Zealand’s innings saw early trouble with Robinson run out for zero. Cleaver’s explosive 51 off 28 (7×4, 1×6) and Clarke’s 51 off 37 rescued them to 182-6. Kelly’s 39 off 27 and Clarkson’s 27* off 14 provided late impetus.
Bangladesh’s bowlers struck back: Rishad (2-32), Mehidy, Shoriful, and Tanjim each took a wicket. This commanding performance hands Bangladesh the series lead, boosting morale ahead of the next clash.
