SPORTS

Bangladesh complete famous Test win over New Zealand

A jubilant Bangladesh have completed their finest ever Test victory abroad, ending world Test champions New Zealand’s 17-match unbeaten streak at home in a remarkable upset.

Ebadot Hossain, a former volleyball player for the Bangladesh Air Force who had a bowling average of 81.54 from 10 Tests coming into the series opener in Mount Maunganui, proved the unlikeliest of heroes as he ripped through the hosts with a terrific spell of 6-46.

After Bangladesh had seized a 130-run first-innings advantage, pacemen Ebadot and Taskin Ahmed (3-36) devastated NZ with skillful reverse-swing bowling to skittle them for just 169 on the game’s final morning.

Taskin Ahmed picked up three wickets in the second innings // Getty
Taskin Ahmed picked up three wickets in the second innings // Getty

Bangladesh then knocked off the required 40 runs in 16.5 overs to seal a historic win for the Tigers, who are ranked ninth on the ICC Test standings and missing legends Shakib al-Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah.

Ebadot, who has only played cricket for around five years, had almost single-handedly reduced the Black Caps to 5-147 at stumps on day four before completing his maiden five-wicket haul with his second ball of day five, producing a brilliant delivery that bowled outgoing star Ross Taylor (40).

Shoriful Islam and sub-fielder Taijul Islam then took stunning catches to all but seal Bangladesh’s first ever away Test win over a top-five ranked team and just their sixth victory abroad from 61 attempts.

Bangladesh had not previously won any of their 43 matches in New Zealand across all three formats, while the result also ends the Kiwis’ eight-series home win streak that stretched back to 2017.

Ebadot has become an instant national hero // Getty
Ebadot has become an instant national hero // Getty

Ebadot, having dismissed all but two of NZ’s top eight batters in their second dig, earned player-of-the-match honours.

“The first thing to know about Ebadot as a person is that he only came to cricket about five years ago,” Bangladesh’s bowling coach Ottis Gibson said on Tuesday.

“He won a fast-bowling competition somewhere and two years later he was playing international cricket.

“He’s a joy to work with because he’s enthusiastic and he wants to learn so much. When his confidence is high, he can bowl spells like this.”

Led by Devon Conway’s 122, NZ managed 328 in their first innings but the loss of their last five wickets for 70 runs left them short of a strong total on a low, dry Bay Oval surface.

Captain Mominul Haque (88), Liton Das (86) and Mahmudul Joy (78) then fired the visitors to 458 to put the heat on a Black Caps top order missing their skipper and best batter Kane Williamson due to an elbow injury.

The second Test gets underway on Sunday in Christchurch.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button
Close