Riyad’s 76 the only positive as Kiwis complete 3-0 whitewash

New Zealand hammered Bangladesh by 164 runs in the third and final ODI at Wellington today to complete a 3-0 whitewash as the Tigers continued their vicious cycle of losses in Kiwi soil against the hosts. Mahmudullah Riyad, the T20 skipper’s show of positivity with the bat ahead of the T20 series was the only encouraging sign for the Tigers at the end of yet another whitewash.

Following maiden ODI tons from Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell which saw New Zealand post a commendable 318 for six, the Kiwi pacers were relentless.

Tamim Iqbal played out Matt Henry’s first over for a maiden but then nicked one through to the wicket-keeper in Henry’s second over after scoring one in nine deliveries. Soumya Sarkar (1) and Liton Das (21) also fell to Henry, the latter caught at fine-leg following an outstanding catch from Trent Boult.

Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur Rahim barely looked to contain the onslaught but at that point, having gone three down with just 26 on the board, the match was already slipping past the point of no return for the Tigers. Mithun’s first shot in anger after 39 deliveries faced, resulted in him caught at deep square leg as Kyle Jamieson got amongst the wickets.

Mahmudullah Riyad showed some intent but after Mushfiqur Rahim spliced a James Neesham delivery back to the bowler, the Tigers were just fighting to get the score past hundred. Even after the 30th over of the innings, Boult was getting the ball to move in the air just to make the Wellington pitch that much more challenging than it perhaps really was. Wickets at regular intervals was the story of the Bangladesh innings and it was only Mahmudullah’s 73-ball 76, laced with six fours and four sixes, that saw Tigers survive till the 43rd over. He strung together a 52-run partnership with Rubel Hossain for the ninth wicket with the latter contributing four off 28 deliveries during a rare rearguard action from the Tigers. Rubel edged one through to the wicket-keeper in the 43rd over before Mustafizur Rahman was left distraught when a fuller length delivery hit him on the ankle and was given out leg-before to give Neesham his fifth wicket of the match. Neesham finished with five for 32 while Henry bagged four for 27 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 154.