DHAKA, Feb 20, 2019 (BSS)- Sabbir Rahman’s maiden ODI ton went to vain as host New Zealand cleansweep Bangladesh in the three-match ODI series with a 88 runs win in the third and final ODI held on Wednesday at University Oval in Dunedin.
Sabbir hit 102 runs as Bangladesh fell shot scoring 242 in 47.2 overs to chase the winning target of 331-run set by New Zealand. The right handed batsman Sabbir smashed 12 boundaries and two over boundaries during his 110-ball stay on the crease before he fell to Tim Southee, the star of New Zealand’s final ODI victory, by picking up six wickets.
Bangladesh plunged into deep trouble as they slipped five wickets at 61 runs in the scoreboard.
Opener Tamim Iqbal and one down Soumya Sarkar backed to the pavilion without disturbing the scoreboard in the very first over off Southee’s deliveries. He continued to strike on Bangladesh innings as he removed another opener Liton Das, leaving Bangladesh in a deep trouble.
Dependable batsman Mushfiqur Rahim (17) and Mahmudullah (16) also failed to take the responsibility in the middle as Trent Boult removed Mushfiqur while Mahmudullah fell to Colin de Grandhomme.
Sabbir Rahman and Mohammad Saifuddin however kept Bangladesh on course offering some resistance as they the duo shared 101 runs for the sixth wicket stand before Boult broke the important partnership removing Saifuddin who composed 44-run off 63-ball laced with four boundaries.
Sabbir stretched his batting as he again paired another 67-run with Mehedi Hasan (37) but Southee kept his strike on Bangladesh innings as he completed his sixth wicket haul picking up the wicket of Mehedi and Sabbir putting an end of Bangladesh innings.
Southee, the wrecker in-chief, caused the major damage as he grabbed six Bangladesh’s wickets conceding 65 runs. He was well supported by Trent Boult who picked up two wickets for 37 runs.
Tim Southee was named the player of the match while Martin Guptill was given the player of the series award.
Earlier, Ross Taylor became New Zealand’s highest scoring one-day international batsman as the hosts amassed a massive total of 330 for 6 from their allotted 50 overs.
Asked to bat first by Bangladesh, Taylor scored 69 off 82 balls with Henry Nicholls and Tom Latham also making half centuries in the batting paradise wicket of the country.
Pacer Mustafizur Rahman was the only successful bowler by picking up two wickets, but the wickets came at a price as he gave 93 runs from his 10 overs.
The right handed batsman Taylor’s 47th ODI half-century took his career tally in the 50-over format to 8,026 runs, overtaking Stephen Fleming’s 8,007.
The 34-year-old, who made his ODI debut in 2006, reached his milestone in 203 innings with a superb average of 48.34.
Batsman Colin Munro’s struggle for form continued as he was out lbw for eight off Mashrafe Mortaza delivery, meaning he has only one half-century in eight ODIs.
Nicholls is set to take the opening batting spot off him after a composing 64 runs off 74-ball with seven boundaries while captain cum wicket keeper Tom Latham smashed with a solid 521-ball off 59 run hitting two boundaries three over boundaries before he was the victim of Mustafizur Rahman.
Later Colin de Grandhomme and Jimmy Neesham both scored 37 to steer the Black Cap to set a challenging target for Bangladesh. Apart from Mustafizur’s two wickets haul, Mehedi Hasan, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Rubel Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin all took one New Zealand wickets each.
Brief score:
New Zealand – 330 for 6 in 50 overs, Taylor 69, Nicholls 64, Latham 59, Colin 37, Neesham 37, Guptill 29, Mustafizur 2/93. Bangladesh – 242 for all in 47.2 overs, Sabbir 102, Saifuddin 44, Mehedi 37, Mushfiqur 17, Mahmudullah 16, Southee 6/65, Boult 2/37.