The BLACKCAPS avenged their defeat to Bangladesh in the opening one-day international by beating the hosts by 75 runs in Mirpur in the second match to level the series at 1-1.
The tourists were able to defend 212 for nine to dismiss the hosts for 137 in 43rd over.
The BLACKCAPS were led by Jacob Oram who blazed a whirlwind innings of 75 off 62 balls, including 25 from the final over and then chipped in with two wickets and two catches in the field.
The BLACKCAPS’ top order again failed on a slow wicket to be teetering on 112 and they looked in real danger of losing their first one-day series to Bangladesh for six before Oram’s heroics.
Bangladesh won the toss and sent the BLACKCAPS in to bat again.
Bowler Syed Rasel was the BLACKCAPS’ chief tormentor today on a pitch offering uneven bounce as he snapped up the wickets of Jesse Ryder (30), Brendon McCullum (12) and Jamie How (0), finishing with the impressive figures of 3-23 off 10 overs.
Shakib Al Hasan picked up the wickets of Ross Taylor and Kyle Mills to finish with 2-19 off nine overs.
Naeem Islam took 2-20, bowling Daniel Flynnn for 25 in the 28th over then dislodging Daniel Vettori in the 34th, caught and bowled for just one.
The BLACKCAPS looked likely to be dismissed for under 200 when they slumped to 167 for nine after 45 overs, but Oram came to the rescue.
The allrounder brought up his 50 with the last ball of the penultimate over then let fly in the 50th with three sixes off the first four balls.
A four off the fifth ball was followed by an anti-climactic single off the final ball to record 25 off the last over, leaving the BLACKCAPS with a total that needed a strong effort in the field to defend.
They got the start they wanted when Kyle Mills struck with the second ball of the innings to remove Tamim Iqbal and he was at it against in the ninth over to bowl Mushfiqur Ramim.
It was apt the he wrapped up the innings with the final wicket to finish with the standout bowling figures for 3-13. Tim Southee claimed Zunaed Siddique, the hero of the first match, for 32 with Daniel Vettori holding on to a difficult one-handed chance at mid-off.
The key wicket for the BLACKCAPS was that of Mohammad Ashraful and it was Oram who did the job, enticing a thin edge that McCullum did well to cling on to standing up to the stumps.
His wicket left the hosts at 106 for six and with the required run rate at more than eight an over the Tigers’ batsmen embarked on some reckless running with three run outs including a stunning direct hit side-on from Ryder.
A late flourish from Mashrafe Mortaza, who cracked a run a ball 27, gave Bangladesh some respectability but when he was caught by that man Oram it was all over.
The deciding game of the three-match series takes place at Chittagong on Tuesday, 4pm (NZT).
