Najmul Hossain Shanto produced a captain’s knock, scoring a brilliant century to guide Bangladesh to 265/8 against New Zealand national cricket team in the third ODI in Chattogram.
After a shaky start, Bangladesh rebuilt impressively through a crucial middle-order partnership, though a slow finish prevented them from pushing past the 280-mark.
Early Collapse Puts Bangladesh on the Back Foot
Bangladesh were rocked early by Will O’Rourke, who dismantled the top order with a fiery opening spell.
He removed Saif Hassan with a superb delivery early on, before dismissing Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar to leave Bangladesh struggling at 32/3 inside the powerplay.
Shanto-Litton Partnership Rescues the Innings
From that precarious position, Shanto found an ideal partner in Litton Das.
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The duo stitched together a vital 160-run stand for the fourth wicket—the highest such partnership for Bangladesh against New Zealand in ODIs.
While Shanto took the attacking route, Litton played the anchor role, gradually building his innings despite a long lean patch in ODIs.
Shanto reached his half-century off 70 balls and continued to accelerate, while Litton brought up his first ODI fifty in nearly three years, marking a significant return to form.
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Milestones and Turning Points
Litton scored a composed 76 off 91 balls, hitting three fours and a six before falling to Jayden Lennox.
Shanto, meanwhile, carried on to complete his fourth ODI century in the 41st over. However, fatigue in humid conditions caught up with him soon after, as he departed shortly following his milestone.
New Zealand Fight Back at the Death
Despite the strong platform, Bangladesh faltered in the final overs. New Zealand’s bowlers tightened their grip, conceding just 34 runs in the last five overs.
The lack of late acceleration, combined with a long tail, prevented Bangladesh from fully capitalizing on their recovery.
Apart from O’Rourke’s three wickets, Ben Lister and Lennox picked up two wickets each, while Dean Foxcroft also chipped in.
Conclusion
A superb century from Shanto and a much-needed return to form for Litton Das helped Bangladesh recover from early trouble and post a competitive total of 265.
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However, a subdued finish leaves the hosts slightly short of a commanding score, setting up an intriguing chase in the series decider.
