xtratime Logo

[caption id="attachment_10301" align="alignnone" width="580"] New Zealand cricketers after their win over Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens. Image Source: Xtra Time[/caption] Internet Desk: New Zealand continued their winning momentum as they thrashed Bangladesh by 75 runs in their final group game and entered the semifinals of the ICC World Twenty20 as table toppers. Only saving grace for Bangladesh was pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s five-for. The left-arm pacer grabbed a career best 5/22, but that was not enough to guide his team to victory. Moshraffe Mortaza and his men faced the ignominy of losing all their matches in the Super 10 stages as they were bowled out for 70 runs in 15.4 overs. It was also their lowest ever T20 total by Bangladesh as none of their batsmen had any answers to the disciplined bowling from New Zealand bowlers. Their previous lowest of 78 all out, incidentally, was also against the same team in Hamilton. Ish Sodhi (3/21) and Grant Elliott (3/12) dented Bangladesh’s chase as their batsmen showed complete lack of application. The match was further delayed for 15 minutes because of power failure in one of the four floodlight towers. Bangladesh will, thus, return home winless from the sixth edition of the mega event. Earlier, Mustafizur gave Bangladesh a great start dismissing the Kiwi openers Henry Nicholls (7) and Kane Williamson (42). He returned to bowl at the death and completed a fine five-four with two wickets in successive balls. But fine batting by Kane Williamson and Colin Munro (35) kept  the scoreboard ticking. Ross Taylor also played a fine cameo of 28 from 24 balls (2x4, 1x6) to take New Zealand to a total which proved enough.