Bangladesh Vs New Zealand Highlights, 1st ODI: Kiwis Gain 1-0 Advantage In Low Scoring Affair Against Bangla Tigers

Good Morning and welcome to live coverage of the 1st ODI between Bangladesh and New Zealand from Dhaka. With IPL 2026 in full swing, several key New Zealand players are unavailable, leaving Tom Latham to lead a relatively inexperienced side. Bangladesh, meanwhile, come in with a settled unit and strong home advantage on a spin-friendly Mirpur surface.

Stay tuned for more live updates.

New Zealand: Will Young, Tom Latham(w/c), Henry Nicholls, Dane Cleaver, Josh Clarkson, Nathan Smith, Ben Sears, Adithya Ashok, Blair Tickner, Ben Lister, William ORourke, Muhammad Abbas, Jayden Lennox, Dean Foxcroft, Nick Kelly

Bangladesh: Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das(w), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz(c), Saif Hassan, Taskin Ahmed, Tanvir Islam, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Rishad Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Nahid Rana

The most recent major sports series for New Zealand’s national cricket team concluded on March 25, 2026. The Black Caps hosted South Africa for a five-match T20 International series. While the matches were highly competitive, South Africa ultimately secured the series victory on New Zealand soil.

Following the T20 World Cup, South Africa traveled to New Zealand for a five-match T20 series. This was a very close contest that went down to the wire. New Zealand started strong with wins in the middle of the series, but South Africa showed great resilience. The Proteas eventually won the series 3–2, clinching the trophy with a 33-run victory in the final match at Christchurch on March 25.

Captain Tom Latham has emphasized that mastering the slow, spinning tracks of Bangladesh is the top priority, especially as the team looks to build depth after finishing as runners-up in the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

With nearly ten first-choice players unavailable due to franchise commitments, Latham has highlighted the series as a vital opportunity for younger talent to gain experience against a formidable Bangladesh side on spinning tracks.

The most recent series for the Bangladesh men's cricket team was a hard-fought three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Pakistan in March 2026. Played entirely at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, the series was highly competitive, with Bangladesh ultimately clinching the series 2–1.

The Tigers started strong by winning the first match by eight wickets, fueled by a brilliant four-wicket haul from Taskin Ahmed. Although Pakistan bounced back in the second match to win by 128 runs (via the DLS method) following a heavy rain interruption, Bangladesh showed great resilience in the series decider on March 15.

In that final match, Tanzid Hasan struck a magnificent century (107 runs) to lead Bangladesh to a total of 290/5, which they successfully defended to win by 11 runs and secure the series trophy.

Toss Update: New Zealand have won the toss and have opted to bat

Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das(w), Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz(c), Rishad Hossain, Afif Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam

New Zealand: Will Young, Tom Latham(w/c), Henry Nicholls, Nick Kelly, Muhammad Abbas, Dean Foxcroft, Josh Clarkson, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Jayden Lennox, William ORourke

New Zealand openers Henry Nicholls and Nick Kelly are taking their time out on the crease and looking to adapt to the conditions before amping up the pace of the scoring. While Nicholls has found runs, Kelly is yet to get off the mark even after twelve balls. New Zealand have started slow but they will be comfortable knowing that they have wickets in hand to later accelerate.

Nick Kelly will want to forget his knock soon. He scored 7 runs in just 23 deliveries before being cleaned up by Shoriful Islam. Kelly was getting frustrated at the stranglehold and threw the kitchen sink up attempting a pull shot at Shoriful watching the ball drop at back of length. Ends up getting a thick inside edge and the ball crashes into the leg-stump. New Zealand suffer an early blow.

Only 12 runs in the last five overs and New Zealand are progressing things cautiously, Nick Kelly's suffering meant they didn't get off to a fast start and now they are playing the waiting game with the powerplay gone and the old ball being difficult to maneuver. Nicholls has stepped up a bit to amp up the scoring rate while new batter Will Young is taking his time to settle. Bangladesh have been disciplined with their bowling and they will not want to let go of the pressure.

New Zealand were very cautious till the 13th over, but they changed gears and in the next 7 overs they gather 32 runs. Henry Nicholls, set now, changed the pace of his scoring, finding consecutive boundaries of Taskin and Miraz. While Will Young rotated strike at the other end, Nicholls hit another boundary to Nahid Rana, keeping the scoring rate steady. Bangladesh are suddenly on backfoot and they will look to ensure things stay in control.

While they boost their scoring rate, New Zealand have lost Will Young. A partnership was brewing between Young and Nicholls but it came to hault with Young's momentary brainfade. Rishad Hossain is the one to provide the breakthrough. Young tried to reverse sweep him but only got it to the hands of the slip fielder. A mis executed shot, resulted in a wicket. Meanwhile, Nicholls keeps anchoring the innings and brings up his half-century. NZ will want to keep the momentum up.

Things change quickly. New Zealand lose two wickets in two wickets and sink into trouble. They had their scoring rate going well and with set Henry Nicholls at one end, New Zealand looked well set for a big total. But things go haywire as Tom Latham and Nicholls depart in a matter of balls. Mehidy Hasan Miraz strikes first. Gets an arm ball to skid and the ball takes an inside edge of Latham's bat to crash on his stumps. Nicholls departs while trying an ambitious reverse sweep again. Gets a top edge that finds the wicketkeeper.

After the wickets of Latham and Nicholls, New Zealand collected some runs through the partnership of Muhammad Abbas and Dean Foxcroft. They have tried to progress the innings with brisk pace and at the same time not lose any wickets. A wicket in this stage of the innings will send the New Zealand innings in further trouble. These two will try to progress the innings deeper and take them to a total near 300.

Finally the partnership of Abbas an Foxcroft is broken and New Zealand have now lost half their side. Abbas has been going for the expansive drives for some time now and finally he gets an edge on the ball which carries to the wicketkeeper. Short partnership he stitched with Foxcroft but it was a crucial stand for New Zealand given the position they were in. Shoriful meanwhile, continues to impress.

New Zealand have failed to stitch up a significant partnership after the dismissal of Henry Nicholls. While Dean Foxcroft has stood at one end, wickets have tumbled at the other end. The latest one to depart is Josh Clarkson, who got cleaned up by Taskin Ahmed. It is the low, skiddy bounce of the pitch that does him. Goes for a flat-batted shot but it sneaks through from back of a length. Crashes into the top of the stumps.

Dean Foxcroft scored a handy half century to power New Zealand to a competitive total on a surface that has been skidding and keeping low. With Muhammad Abbas, Josh Clarkson and Nathan Smith at the other end, Foxcroft played a fighting knock. He carefully went through gears and collected boundaries to shift momentum. Nahid Rana had to get rid of him by nailing a perfect yorker.

New Zealand get 11 runs off the last over and that is the curtains of their innings. They started well and looked cruising when Henry Nicholls and Will Young were batting together. Once Young was dismissed, wickets fell at regular intervals and nobody could stand for long except for Nicholls himself and Dean Foxcroft. Both scored half-centuries and their knock drove Kiwis to a competitive total. Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana and Shofriful Islam were impressive with the ball. The pitch looked tricky and Bangladesh can face challenges while chasing.

Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan are in the crease to initiate the Bangldeshi chase of 248 runs. Will O'Rourke bowled the first over while Nathan Smith came up with the second.

BAN 10/0 (2)

After two wickets in two balls in Nathan Smith's over pushed Bangladesh to a desperate state of 21/2, they recovered gradually with the help of Litton Das and Saif Hassan. Saif took the route through boundaries and got some momentum into the innings. While Litton has focused on rotating the scoreboard. They are chasing a competitive total and a slip up in the middle overs can put them under pressure. Bangladesh are ahead of where New Zealand was in their innings.

Saif Hassan has reached his half-century and he is being supported by Litton Das, following the golden duck of number 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Saif Hassan departs after a very well played knock of 57 off 76 and he has been replaced by Tawhid Hridoy. Litton Das is keeping the chase alive and he is now 5 runs away from his half-century.

Bangladesh's chase might be tumbling a little bit as the experienced Litton Das departed without scoring his half-century and the hosts are in a little bit of trouble. The required rate has spiked to over 5 runs per over but the good thing is that if Bangladesh stitch a solid partnership now, they can actually win it. They need 111 runs off 20 overs, which is a possible one.

Afif Hossain and Towhid Hridoy appear to be in control of things at the moment as Bangladesh reach closer to the target, now just 95 runs away from victory.

Afif Hossain and Towhid Hridoy's partnership has reached to 35 runs and Bangladesh need 81 runs more to win from 74 balls. Despite those early wickets, Bangla Tigers' chase is very much on track.

Bangladesh are still very much in control of things if Rishad Hossein and Towhid Hridoy play with composure and ease.

Disaster strikes for Bangladesh as another wicket tumbles! You really have to feel for Towhid Hridoy; he looks completely dialled in and ready to see this through, but the total lack of support from the other end is arguably pulling the rug out from under him.

Bangladesh lose another wicket just like that as Blair Tickner takes his third wicket of the match, outfoxing Shoriful Islam for a golden duck.

New Zealand secured a dominant victory in the opening ODI against Bangladesh, comfortably chasing down a modest target. The Black Caps' bowling attack exploited the early swing to dismantle the visitors' top order, despite a gritty middle-order resistance. New Zealand’s openers then set a clinical tone, ensuring a 1-0 series lead.