Mithun leads Tigers to 232

Bangladesh`s Mohammad Mithun plays a shot as New Zealand`s wicketkeeper Tom Latham (L) looks on during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Napier on 13 February 2019. Photo: AFP
Bangladesh`s Mohammad Mithun plays a shot as New Zealand`s wicketkeeper Tom Latham (L) looks on during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Napier on 13 February 2019. Photo: AFP

Most of the top-order batsmen failed to click as it was left to Mohammad Mithun and number-nine batsman Mohammad Saifuddin to avert a big embarrassment in Bangladesh’s first ODI against New Zealand in Napier on Wednesday.

The pair added 84 in the eighth wicket to make sure the team post a decent total of 232 from going seven wickets down on 131.

The visitors started losing wickets from the second ball of the second over, and openers Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das and two-down Mushfiqur Rahim could only manage 5, 1 and 5 respectively.

One-down batsman Soumya Sarkar was quite different, hitting 30 off 22 deliveries, but his innings was cut short by Matt Henry.

Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman both added 13 and Mehidy Hasan Miraz 26, but it was that eight-wicket partnership that took Bangladesh past 200.

Mithun’s industrious 90-ball innings ended on 62, the batsman hitting five fours while Saifuddin contributed 41 in 58 deliveries.

Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner both claimed three wickets while Henry and Lockie Ferguson each grabbed a brace for the hosts.