Bevon Jacobs struck a career-best 62 off 31 balls to guide New Zealand to a series-levelling win over Bangladesh in the third and final T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday, finishing the series 1-1.
Chasing 103 in a revised 15-over contest, New Zealand were rocked early by a fiery opening spell from Shoriful Islam, who struck twice in his first over to remove opener Katene Clarke (1) and number three Dane Cleaver (1). He returned in his second over to bowl Tim Robinson — who had made a promising 23 off 14 — through the gate, reducing the visitors to deep trouble.
Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan then dismissed stand-in captain Nick Kelly to leave New Zealand wobbling at 33-4, with the asking rate climbing sharply.
But Jacobs and Dean Foxcroft refused to panic. The pair put together an unbeaten 71-run partnership to turn the match on its head. Jacobs was the aggressor, taking on Shoriful in his final overs and plundering three fours to wrest back the momentum. He finished with five fours and three sixes in a stunning knock, while Foxcroft provided steady support with an unbeaten 15 off 15.
Shoriful finished as Bangladesh's standout bowler with three wickets for 19, but his side's total ultimately proved insufficient.
Earlier, New Zealand's bowlers had put on a collective display to bundle Bangladesh out for 102 in 14.2 overs. Bangladesh never recovered from a disastrous powerplay that saw them lose three wickets in quick succession. Opener Saif Hassan provided early positives with two boundaries before falling for 16 off 11 to debutant left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox on the first ball of his international career.
Nathan Smith then breached Tanzid Hasan Tamim's (6) defence before striking again immediately to send Parvez Hossain Emon back for a duck, leaving Towhid Hridoy surviving a hat-trick ball. Captain Litton Das injected some urgency, scoring a brisk 26 off 17, but his dismissal after the rain break left the hosts in trouble.
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