Rain had the last laugh Thursday as the first One Day International between Bangladesh and New Zealand was washed out at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium after heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Bangladesh skipper Liton Das elected to field amid the threat of inclement weather as spurts of rain was prevalent a couple of hours before the start of play.
Former ODI captain Tamim Iqbal returned to the playing XI as expected after getting fit while the veteran Mahmudullah was also included with the opportunity of sealing a World Cup spot.
New Zealand opening pair Finn Allen and Will Young started cautiously against the Tigers’ opening bowling duo Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
During the fifth over when the score was nine without loss, play was halted for the first time due to rain.
The game resumed after more than an hour and the conditions were revised into a 42-over per side affair.
Bangladesh bowlers, particularly Mustafizur, bowled brilliantly after the break and took the wickets of Allen (nine) and No 3 Chad Bowes (one) within the first 10 overs.
Young and Henry Nicholls, coming in at No 4, then formed a brilliant partnership in tricky conditions and batted confidently.
Their 97-run stand was the highest third-wicket partnership for the Kiwis against the Tigers in Mirpur.
But the hosts struck back with three quick wickets from overs 28 to 31 before rain played spoilsport again.
The rain got heavier after the evening and the match was eventually called off at 8:36pm local time.
At that time, the Black Caps were 136 for five from 33.4 overs with Young as the highest scorer with 58 off 91 deliveries.
Mustafizur was superb in his two spells as he scalped three wickets from seven overs conceding 27 runs.
Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed was impressive from his very first over and bagged the remaining two wickets from his eight overs with three maidens.
All eyes were on Mahmudullah and Soumya Sarkar while Bangladesh were bowling as these two are among few of the players who are in contention to be selected in the final 15-man squad for the upcoming World Cup .
Mahmudullah sent down four overs giving away 21 runs while Soumya bowled two leaking 13 runs as both remained wicketless.
The second ODI of the three-match series will be played Saturday at the same venue.
