Soumya Sarkar hit his career best 169 runs to celebrate his comeback in the second ODI following a duck in the first match against New Zealand but his marvelous century went in vain when Bangaldesh suffered a humiliating seven wickets defeat.
Bangladesh in their second and the series decider match on Tuesday at Nelson, despite scoring a big total of 291 runs but could not defend that as the hosts chased the target losing only three wickets with 22 balls left to play.
Apart from Soumya Sarkar, none of the batters of Bangladesh could score even a fifty when Mushfiqur Rahim was the second highest scorer with 45 runs.
Soumya Sarkar, who returned to international cricket after a long time, just justified the coach’s choice when Hathurusinghe has a great belief on once batting sensation of Bangaldesh, who have been going through a tough time.
However, the top three batters of New Zealand paved the way for the Black Caps to easy going to chase the targets and went 2-0 up in the three-match series, having won the first ODI in Dunedin by 44 runs on Sunday.
Opener Will Young scored 89 runs of 94 balls, Rachi Rabindra slammed a rapid 45 off 33 balls and Henry Nicollas was just five short of century (95 off 99 balls) when the captain Tom Latham and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell remained unbeaten with 34 and 24 runs.
Hassan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam
Earlier, Bangladesh after having the chance to bat first on the batting favour pitch, none but Soumya Sarkar could capitalize the advantage, as Tigers batters had been dealt with huge blow losing four wickets for 80 runs following three top order bats Anamul Haque, Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das got out cheaply. New Zealand made the early breakthrough with Adam Milne sending off Anamul Junior to depart the opening stand for only 11 runs.
One down Nazmul Hossain Shanto could play 12 balls when the captain throw his wicket for only two runs with trying to flick a Jacob Duffy’s full length delivery gifted a dolly catch to Nicholls at the cover.
Soumya, who was watching his opening partner Anamul and then the team’s captain Shanto left him in quick successions, did not have accompany from Litton Das and Twohid Hridoy for a long.
Both the batters, who came to halt callapse, went to pavilion scoring six runs each with Jacob Duffy claimed the wickets to reduce the visitors four for 80.
After the massive disaster, Mushfiqur Rahim joined Somya to resurrect the innings and brought the team to 171 runs with scoring 91 runs from 18 overs in fifth wicket partnership before the veteran wicketkeeper being out for 45 runs.. While Mushfiqur took his time to get going, Soumya was steady, getting to his fifty from 58 balls with a boundary off Josh Clarkson to start the 21st over.
On the way to scoring his third ODI century played 116 balls at the beginning of the 40th over of Bangladesh innings after having a life on 92 runs when Young dropped him. At one stage, Soumya hit 67 from his next 32 deliveries in the death overs with nine fours and two sixes.
However, after the departure of Mishfique, Mehidy Hassan Miraz and Tanzim Hasan Sakib could only rach to double digit scoring 19 and 13 runs, as Bangladesh amassed 291 runs but it was not enough to win the match. Soumya, who opened the innings was out as the eighth batter after scoring a splendid innings of 169 runs off 151 balls. Soumya out of his 169, scored 100 runs with 22 boundaries and two sixes.
