Sports Live: Mahmudullah played a captain’s knock to guide Bangladesh to its first series victory in Twenty20s over New Zealand with a six-wicket in the fourth match of the five-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.

Mahmudullah remained unbeaten on 43 off 48 balls and Mohammad Naim made 29 off 35 balls as Bangladesh reached 96-4 in 19.1 overs in another low-scoring encounter at the SBNS.

Earlier, Nasum Ahmed claimed 4-10, his career-best bowling figures in T20 internationals, and Mustafizur Rahman took 4-12 to bundle out the Kiwis for 93 in 19.3 overs after they opted to bat first.

Will Young top-scored for the Kiwis with 46 off 48 balls and skipper Tom Latham made 21 off 26 balls but the other batters couldn’t get into the 20s.

The Tigers need just 94 runs to take an unassailable 3-1 lead and ensure their maiden T20 series win over New Zealand while the Kiwis need to defend the paltry score to level the series 2-2.

But chasing down the smallish total proved to be a difficult task in a slow pitch and at the end of the powerplay, the hosts were reeling on 32-3 with Liton Das (six), Shakib Al Hasan (eight) and Mushfiqur Rahim (0) already back in the pavilion.

Naim and Mahmudullah then added 35 runs for the fourth wicket but their stand came to an abrupt end when the left-hander got run out while going for a second run in the 15th over.

Bangladesh were down to 67-4 and needed 36 runs off 33 balls but Mahmudullah took some calculative risks and his two timely sixes to keep the required rate in check.

Mahmudullah survived a stumping chance in the 17th over off Ajaz Patel, New Zealand’s pick of the bowlers with 2-9 in four overs, when he was batting on 25.

Ajaz beat him with his flight but wicketkeeper Latham missed a simple chance. Mahmudulah with Afif Hossain at the other end unbeaten on six, finished the job in the first ball of the final over with a boundary.

Earlier, Bangladesh’s dominance began from the very first over when Nasum bowled a maiden over, the first of his two in the match, and took the wicket of Rachin Ravindra.

Fellow opener Finn Allen (12) tried to take on the spinners, hitting a six off Shakib Al Hasan in the second over with a reverse sweep.

But the same shot brought his downfall in the next over, as his reverse sweep found Mohammad Saifuddin at point.

Latham and Young then formed a 35-run stand off 47 balls to steady the innings but just when they wanted to accelerate off-spinner Mahedi Hasan deceived the former with a turning delivery and Nurul Hasan completed the stumping.

Nasum then bowled a maiden two-wicket over, removing Henry Nicholls (one) and Tom Blundell (0) in consecutive deliveries to reduce the Black Caps to 52-5 after 12 overs.

Young continued his lone fight back, hitting five fours and one sixe, with little support from the tail and gave his bowlers something to defend.

Mustafiz removed Young and Blair Tickner in consecutive deliveries of the final over to bring the Kiwi innings to a close.

In the previous game, New Zealand had bundled out the hosts for 76 to win the match by 52 runs after losing the first two games.

Bangladesh went in the match with an unchanged XI while New Zealand picked Hamish Bennett and Tickner in place of Jacob Duffy and Scott Kuggeleijn.

Dhaka, 08 September (campuslive24.com)//BIT