Daily Times

DHAKA: Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel ran through Bangladesh’s top order with a career-best 4-16 as New Zealand clawed their way back into the five-match Twenty20 international series with a 52 run win in Dhaka on Sunday.Bangladesh were bowled out for 76, their second-lowest T20 total, with Patel and Cole McConchie (3-15) bundling out the hosts on a slow wicket at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.Bangladesh were looking to secure their first-ever T20 series triumph over the Blackcaps after winning the first two games.They got off to a flying start in chase of New Zealand’s modest score of 128-5 when Mohammad Naim blasted Jacob Duffy for two fours in the first over.But the innings unravelled from there.

McConchie trapped opener Liton Das leg-before for 15 to get the Blackcaps up and running before Patel dismissed Mahedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan in the same over.There was no looking back from there.All-rounder RachinRavindra bowled Naim before Patel dismissed skipper MahmudullahRiyad and Afif Hossain off consecutive balls to leave Bangladesh reeling at 43-6.Mushfiqur Rahim tried to salvage the chase but was left standing alone on 20 after Colin de Grandhomme picked up the final wicket.Henry Nicholls top-scored for the Blackcaps with 36 off 29 balls, marshalling his team’s recovery in an unbroken 66-run sixth-wicket stand with Tom Blundell (30) when New Zealand were teetering at 62-5.Medium-pacer Mohammad Saifuddin was the home team’s best bowler with 2-28.The fourth match of the series will be held on Wednesday.