New Zealand held their nerve under the floodlights to beat Bangladesh by two wickets in a dramatic low-scoring Cricket World Cup match at The Oval on Wednesday.
Chasing a modest target of 245, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson shared a third-wicket partnership of 105 to put the Black Caps on course for a comfortable victory, but they lost six more wickets before notching up their second win of the tournament with 17 balls to spare.
Williamson should have been run out for eight but Bangladesh wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim dislodged the bails with his arm to waste the chance and the New Zealand captain went on to make 40.
Tom Latham was out cheaply and when Taylor was caught by Mushfiqur for 82 Bangladesh scented a famous win.
Colin de Grandhomme, Jimmy Neesham and Matt Henry also fell as the pressure mounted but Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson stayed calm to edge New Zealand over the line.
Shakib Al Hasan top-scored for Bangladesh with 64 and several batsmen made starts but they lost wickets at regular intervals and were never able to dominate a disciplined bowling attack.
New Zealand bowled tightly and fielded with high intensity to restrict Bangladesh to a modest total of 244 all out.
After New Zealand had won the toss, Shakib hit a fluent half-century, hitting seven fours in his 68-ball knock but Bangladesh kept losing wickets from the other end.
Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar shared an opening partnership of 45 before Sarkar was bowled by Matt Henry for 25 and Tamim skied a simple catch to mid-wicket off Lockie Ferguson for 24.
Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahman added 50 for the third wicket but the stand ended when Mushfiqur was run out for 19 following a mix-up with his partner.
Shakib reached his fifty off 54 balls before he edged medium-pacer Colin de Grandhomme to wicketkeeper Tom Latham and
Mohammad Mithun, on 26, was caught by De Grandhomme at fine leg off a short ball from Henry.
Needing to accelerate to get close to 300, a par score on the usual batting-friendly Oval wicket, Bangladesh boundaries were in short supply and Mahmudullah departed for 20.
Mohammad Saifuddin struck the only six of the innings in the 45th over but it was a rare joyful moment for the boisterous Bangladesh fans and Henry bowled him for 29 with the second ball of the final over to end the innings.
Both teams won their opening matches of the tournament, New Zealand crushing Sri Lanka by 10 wickets and Bangladesh upsetting South Africa by 21 runs.
