Staff Reporter
Rtnn: Bangladesh beat New Zealand by five wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series at McLean Park in Napier to go 1-0 up. It was Bangladesh's first T20I win over New Zealand in New Zealand. 

The Tigers came into the match on the back of a maiden away ODI win in a bilateral series against New Zealand at the same ground. Earlier this month they defeated New Zealand for the first time in a home Test match. 

Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan shared four powerplay wickets to dent New Zealand's progress in the first half of the innings. Mustafizur Rahman bowled like his old self with the old ball to ensure New Zealand did not score too many runs.

 Chasing a moderate 135, Najmul Hossain Shanto (19) and Soumya Sarkar (22) got starts with the bat but did not last more than 14 and 15 balls respectively. The score was 67-3 in the ninth over when Soumya was dismissed by a beauty from Ben Sears.

But the visitors were in a spot of bother when Towhid Hridoy and Afif were dismissed in quick succession.

Litton Das was quiet for the most part of the innings, knocking it around for singles and doubles, but runs flowed from his bat when the New Zealand bowlers threatened to pull off an unlikely comeback.

Litton hit Ben Sears for a four and a lucky six in the 18th over to make the equation easy for the Tigers. Mahedi then smashed Adam Milne for a maximum and a four in the next over to seal the deal.

An all-round bowling performance from  Bangladesh bowlers restricted New Zealand to 134-9. Mustafizur Rahman then backed up their good work at the death to ensure they did not concede too many runs.

Bangladesh had an exceptional start with the ball with powerplay specialist Mahedi providing first the breakthrough in the very first over of the game. The off-spinner sent back aggressive wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert for a duck. 

Shoriful, partnering Mahedi, continued his good work with the new ball by snaring Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips in successive deliveries in his first over and reducing the hosts to one for three. 

Mahedi then put the Black Caps in further trouble when he cleaned up New Zealand's mainstay Daryl Mitchell (14 off 15). New Zealand's score at the end of the powerplay was 36-4.

The home side's hopes rested on Mark Chapman who previously rescued them from such a situation quite a few times. But it was leg-spinner Rishad Hossain who put an end to his effort in the 10th over. Chapman made a run-a-ball 19.

Shoriful, who was superb with the new ball, came back to break the 41-run partnership between captain Mitchell Santner (23 off 22) and Jimmy Neesham. Soumya Sarkar took a good low catch. 

It looked like Neesham (48 off 29) was playing on a different pitch altogether as he pumped the ball down the ground and square of the wicket with ease. But after smashing Mustafizur for a 101-meter six, he hit a low full toss straight to Afif Hossain at deep cover point. 

Mustafizur (two for 15) bowled superbly at the death to deny the New Zealand lower order.