Bangladesh levelled the ODI series in style at Chattogram, defeating New Zealand by a commanding 55 runs in the third match to make it 1-1 going into the final game. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was the architect of the victory, constructing a masterful 105 off 119 balls — his ninth ODI century — to anchor Bangladesh's 265/8 after a shaky start. New Zealand, despite a fighting half-century from NF Kelly and a late Dean Foxcroft cameo, were bowled out for 210 in 44.5 overs, never truly threatening the target on a surface that rewarded patience and discipline.

Bangladesh Innings: Shanto and Litton Build a Match-Winning Partnership

Bangladesh's innings began in genuine crisis. The opening powerplay produced just 36 runs and three wickets, with New Zealand's seamers exploiting early conditions to reduce the hosts to a precarious position. A New Zealand DRS review in over 1.3 for Tanzid Hasan's wicket was struck down, offering Bangladesh a brief reprieve, but the early damage was undeniable — three top-order batters dismissed within 10 overs left the middle order with an enormous amount of work to do.

Bangladesh reached 50 only in the 13th over, a crawl that underlined the difficulty of the conditions. At drinks they were 57/3 in 14 overs with Shanto and Litton Das at the crease — the partnership that would ultimately define the entire match. The two settled in methodically, building through the rebuilding phase with maturity and mutual trust. Their fourth-wicket stand reached 50 in 69 balls, 100 in 128 balls and a magnificent 150 in 175 balls — a partnership of outstanding application and character that transformed Bangladesh's innings from desperate to competitive.

Shanto brought up his fifty off 70 balls — 4 fours and 1 six — and continued to accumulate with increasing authority as the partnership grew. Litton reached his own fifty off 71 balls, a compact and disciplined knock of just 2 fours that reflected how demanding the surface was. Bangladesh reached 150 in 31.6 overs and 200 in 39.4 overs, the foundation laid for a late assault in the final powerplay.

The third powerplay — overs 40 to 50 — produced 61 runs but at the cost of 4 wickets as Bangladesh tried to accelerate. Shanto reached his century off 114 balls, a milestone greeted with enormous pride by the Chattogram crowd, before eventually being dismissed for 105. Towhid Hridoy contributed a vital 33 in the death overs alongside Mustafizur Rahman, and a successful New Zealand DRS review in over 48.1 for Shoriful Islam's wicket helped limit Bangladesh to 265/8 — a total that, on this pitch, felt very challenging.

New Zealand Chase: Kelly Fights, But Bangladesh Bowl Them Out

New Zealand's chase never gathered the momentum needed to overhaul 266 on a Chattogram pitch clearly offering assistance to the bowlers. The opening powerplay yielded a sluggish 33/1, and a Bangladesh DRS review for NF Kelly's wicket in over 9.2 was struck down on umpire's call — sparing their most dangerous opener at a critical moment.

Kelly justified the reprieve with a determined half-century, bringing up 50 off 68 balls with 6 fours and 1 six while wickets fell steadily at the other end. New Zealand reached 50 in the 13th over and 100 in the 23rd, but the required rate kept climbing beyond comfort. By the drinks break at 116/4 in 27 overs — Muhammad Abbas on 22, Foxcroft just arrived — the chase was technically alive but strategically very difficult.

The second powerplay proved catastrophic for New Zealand. They lost 8 wickets in overs 10 to 40 while scoring 127 — a collapse that effectively ended any realistic hope of victory. New Zealand crossed 150 in 35.4 overs and entered the final powerplay needing 116 from 60 balls with few wickets in hand.

Dean Foxcroft again showed his fighting qualities, reaching his fifty off 59 balls with 4 sixes — a rear-guard knock of real character. A Bangladesh review for BG Lister's wicket in over 41.6 was struck down, but it changed nothing about the inevitable outcome. Foxcroft and Lister shared a spirited 50-run last-wicket stand in just 30 balls, but New Zealand were finally bowled out for 210 in 44.5 overs, 55 runs short.

Najmul Hossain Shanto was named Man of the Match for his magnificent 105 — the innings that gave Bangladesh the platform and the belief to level the series.

Key Moments

  • Bangladesh's 36/3 powerplay was the match's defining early moment — their recovery from that position was exceptional.
  • The Shanto-Litton 150-run fourth-wicket partnership in 175 balls was the innings of the match and the partnership of the series.
  • New Zealand's umpire's call reprieve for Kelly in over 9.2 gave them brief hope but ultimately changed nothing.
  • New Zealand's catastrophic second powerplay of 127 runs for 8 wickets completely collapsed their chase.
  • Foxcroft's fighting 50 and last-wicket stand with Lister added respectability but never threatened the result.