Mithun, Saifuddin lift Bangladesh to 232 after early collapse

Innings Bangladesh 232 (Mithun 62, Saifuddin 41, Boult 3-40, Santner 3-45) v New Zealand

New Zealand’s lightning pace attack held Bangladesh to 232 in the first ODI in Napier. The trio of Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson took seven of the ten wickets, as most of the visiting batsmen went after them with aggressive shots. Mohammad Mithun, with his 62 off 90 balls, not only top scored for Bangladesh but was also the only frontline batsman willing to hold things together.

Mithun’s five boundaries were evidence of the patience he needed to ride out the New Zealand attack. He added 84 runs for the eighth wicket with Mohammad Saifuddin, who contributed 41 off 58 balls with three fours, to help them recover from 131 for 7 to a more respectable 215-8 in the 45th over. Saifuddin hit one straight to midwicket off Santner before Ferguson bowled Mithun with a 150kph thunderbolt in the 48th over.

The Bangladesh innings closed when Boult yorked Mustafizur Rahman in the 49th over, to take his third wicket. But credit must go to Mithun for stretching the Bangladesh innings that far after they had lost half the side inside 18 overs.

Tamim Iqbal, fresh from his century in the BPL final, was undone by Trent Boult who got his edge with a beautiful full delivery that swung away quite late. A few overs later, Matt Henry burst one through Liton Das who offered only his bat meekly to a ball that nipped back from outside off-stump.

At the other end, Soumya Sarkar batted sublimely to shake off the two early wickets. He pulled, drove and flicked Boult and Henry for five fours and a six in a short span, but like many of his previous starts, this one too was cut short by poor shot selection. One ball after Mushfiqur Rahim chopped Boult on to his stumps, Soumya top edged a hook shot to be caught and bowled by Henry.

Mahmudullah, frustrated without a boundary in 28 balls, edged Lockie Ferguson to slip where Ross Taylor took the catch at the second attempt. Sabbir Rahman, playing his first international match in six months, struck two boundaries off Ferguson before slipping and getting stumped off Mitchell Santner in the 23rd over.

Through this, Mithun was steadfast at the other end, hardly rushing into any big shots without having middled a few first. He had struck three fours in 36 balls when Mehidy Hasan Miraz started with two fours and a six over midwicket off Santner. But trying to sweep the same bowler from outside off-stump, Mehidy top edged a catch in the 29th over.

Santner finished with three wickets, like Boult, while Ferguson and Henry took two each. The home side’s fielding also stood out, as they continuously cut out shots in the inner-circle, and took all catches that came their way through Bangladesh’s largesse.