BLACKCAPS 307-5 (R Taylor 107*, C Munro 85), Bangladesh 309-6 (S Rahman 96, N Islam 63) in 49.2 overs
Result: Bangladesh won by four wickets
Full scorecard
The BLACKCAPS have lost a thriller in the final over to Bangladesh in their third One Day International at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.
Having been asked to bat first, the BLACKCAPS crafted a competitive total of 307 for five, with a Ross Taylor century anchoring the innings expertly. Bangladesh's response was aggressive from the outset, with Shamsur Rahman leading the way for his side with 96. A number of contributors from the middle-order continued to propel Bangladesh's total forwards, before an unbeaten 44 from Nasir Hossain completed their monumental run chase after 49.2 overs.
Having been asked to bat first, the BLACKCAPS crafted a competitive total of 307 for five, with a Ross Taylor century anchoring the innings expertly. Bangladesh's response was aggressive from the outset, with Shamsur Rahman leading the way for his side with 96. A number of contributors from the middle-order continued to propel Bangladesh's total forwards, before an unbeaten 44 from Nasir Hossain completed their monumental run chase after 49.2 overs.
Shamsur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman made their intentions clear early, swinging hard at Kyle Mills and Adam Milne to see their team to 50 without loss in the seventh over. Mitchell McClenaghan was the man to make the breakthrough, getting Ziaur Rahman to top edge to Milne for 22.
Mominul replaced him in the middle and again punished the BLACKCAPS bowlers, before Anton Devcich picked him up caught and bowled for 32. The momentum continued to swing the BLACKCAPS way, with Taylor shortly there afterwards taking a stunning catch at square leg to remove Mushfiqur for just two.
Shamshur continued to find the boundary and built a handy partnership with Naeem Islam. Unfortunately for the opening batsman he was undone by Corey Anderson just four runs shy of a century, but his efforts had given his side a great chance of victory. Naeem kept the scoreboard ticking over alongside new batsman Nasir Hossain, as Mills rotated his bowlers, bringing Milne, Anderson, McClenaghan and himself back on.
Naeem was run out for 63 in the 43rd over but the damage had been done for the BLACKCAPS, with Hossain and Sohag Gazi able to get Bangladesh home by four wickets in the last over.
Earlier, Devcich and Tom Latham got the BLACKCAPS innings off to a great start, before Colin Munro and then Taylor punished the bowling attack to get a total beyond 300.
Devcich began to show aggression in just the second over, hitting powerfully through the off side and finding the boundary regularly in a solid partnership of 66 with Latham. The 28 year-old departed after top edging a sweep from Mahmudullah just short of his half century. Grant Elliot was then dismissed early on to bring Munro to the crease, who began to up the tempo with a spectacular array of shots.
The crowd were treated to some stunning switch hits, including one which flew for six. He reached his 50 from 53 balls and began to build a formidable partnership with Taylor.
Munro departed for a career-high 85, but there was little relief forthcoming for the home side. Having established himself at the crease, Taylor began to show signs of his brutal best and at one stage struck three consecutive sixes. He entered the final over on 96 before calmly bringing up his eight ODI century. luke Ronchi (13) played his part at the other end to help the BLACKCAPS put on the finishing touches.
While disappointed with the result, the BLACKCAPS can take positives from an improved performance with the bat, with Devcich, Munro and Taylor's innings the standouts. They've added to the depth of the ODI squad here, with Jimmy Neesham and Anderson putting their hands up as international all-rounders.
