New Zealand trounced Bangaldesh by 75 runs to record all four wins in Super 10
26 March, Kolkata
New Zealand trounced Bangladesh by 75 runs to remain unbeaten in Super 10 Group II ICC World Twenty20 with all four wins to top the group on their way to semifinal at Eden Gardens at day-night game Saturday.
Batting first after winning the toss Kane Williamson side made 145/8 and then bundled out Bangladesh 70 in 15.4 overs, the lowest score for the vanquished in T20 game.New Zealand in their unbeaten run defeated the host India first in Nagpur, then Australia and Pakistan to storm first in the knock stage of semifinals.
After scoring 145 for loss of eight wickets in 20 overs with runs from Kane Williams ( 42 and highest ) Colin Munro ( 35) and Ross Taylor (28) and then bowled out Masrafe Bin Mortaza brigade to the lowest score of 70 in 15.4 overs.Kane William was declared player of the match for his highest 42 runs.Pacer Grant Elliot emerged as the highest wicket taker for Kiwi with 3/12 and orthodox spinner Ish Sodhi took 3/21 in 3.4 overs to wrap up the opponents, who already out of contest for previous three defeats.
Sodhi so far took eight wickets and Michell Santner, who took one wicket today, tallied to nine so far in four games.Only three batsmen Shuvagata Hom ( 16 not out), Md Mithun (11) and Sabbir Rahman (12) could cross two digit number and eight others of Bangladeshbatsmen fell cheaply to the attacks of the Kiwis bowling.
Play was disrupted for about fifteen minutes (11th over) when Bangladesh was batting as a tower of flood light went off forcing the players to return to dugout for brief period.Earlier, Bangladesh restricted New Zealand to 145/8 with five wickets from Mustafizur Rahman, his career best in t20.Twenty-year-old Mustafizur was deadly from his very first over picking up wickets in every spell as his captain Masrafe Bin Mortaza was rotating his sixbowlers every alternate spell.
Mustafizur was on hattrick in his last over after his fourth and fifth ball victims were Mitchell Santner (3) and Nathan McCullum (0) but Mitchell McClenaghan stood before him and hit a six on his last ball. His four of the five victims were bowled out – Henry Nicholls (7), captain Kane Williamson ( 42), Mitchell Santner (3) and Nathan McCullum (0). Only Grant Elliot (9) was caught by Shuvagata Hom.Mustafizur 5/22 was best in current T20 as he overcame James Faulkner’s 5/27 against Pakistan.
But his fight went in vain as Bangaldesh collapsed to Kiwis bowling.Winner of India of Australia match at Mohali on Sunday will be another side to make in last four stage.