New Zealand claimed a series clean sweep by beating Bangladesh by 65 runs in the rain-deficient Third Twenty20 International in Auckland on Friday. Their innings was reduced to 10 overs due to bad weather, with Bangladesh all out for 76 for three, well short of the 142 target set by New Zealand. Black Cap scored 141 for four after losing the toss and were asked to bat, with Finn Allen scoring 71 off 29 balls. Spinner Todd Astle was the standout bowler, taking four wickets for 13 runs in his two-over spell. Captain Tim Southee said it was satisfying for New Zealand to achieve their seventh home series win of the season in all formats.
“It is a great summer and we have played some good cricket and seen a lot of people coming into the atmosphere and doing well,” he said.
Bangladesh captain Linton Das said the mistakes favored him, including a catch in which Ellen was allowed to leave the match and escape.
“We are not playing good cricket in batting and fielding,” he said.
“We are bowling very well, but it is our cost. We are a young team and we are learning.”
New Zealand made a brilliant start, with Martin Guptill hitting three sixes in the first two overs.
Allen was also tracing the boundary, but lost his luck as a blackcap for 69 without loss after five overs.
Guptill scored 16 runs off Maheedi Hasan’s first three balls but the spinner took his revenge when the batsman was trying to clear the tow by scoring 44 runs.
Allen scored his first half-century off 18 balls and Soumya Sarkar gave up another life after missing a direct chance.
He finally fell in the final over, delivering a Taskeen Ahmed over his head to the fielder, but by then the damage had been done.
Bangladesh made a disastrous start, losing two wickets to Southee in the opening over.
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They were starting to rebuild again, when Astle also claimed a brace, leaving Bangladesh 37 behind on four.
Astle’s second over proved simply disastrous and tourists had no answer as the run rate climbed to a lousy level.
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