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Anderson, Williamson power New Zealand to 6-0 against Bangladesh

by Manuj Sharma Sunday 8 January 2017

Corey Anderson recorded the most sixes in a T20I innings for New Zealand

©REUTERS MEDIA EXPRESS

New Zealand 194-4 (Anderson 94no) beat
Bangladesh 167-6 (Sarkar 42) by 27 runs
Third Twenty20 International in Mount Maunganui
Scorecard

Corey Anderson scored a blistering unbeaten knock of 94 while Kane Williamson contributed with a steady half-century as New Zealand defended 195 against Bangladesh comfortably by 27 runs in the third Twenty20 International in Mount Maunganui to seal the series 3-0.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first again. An injury to Luke Ronchi saw Tom Blundell making his debut for the Black Caps.

James Neesham (15) opened the innings for New Zealand and scored three boundaries in as many overs to get the team going while Williamson (60) smashed two more fours in the next over.

However, a double-wicket fifth over bowled by Rubel Hossain (3-31) saw New Zealand lose both Neesham and Colin Munro (0).

Tom Bruce (5) failed to replicate his success from the previous game after he holed out to sweeper cover off the first ball bowled by Mosaddek Hossain (1-27) as New Zealand were in a spot of bother at 55 for three at the halfway mark.

That's when both Williamson and Anderson (94 not out) began to unleash themselves as they plundered 12 runs of every over in the next four to bring the 100 for New Zealand. Williamson reached his fifty off 44 deliveries.

Williamson had a reprieve when he was put down by Shakib Al Hasan (0-22) at deep square leg in the 15th over which also saw Anderson smash two sixes and a four.

Anderson went to his fifty in style by hitting Soumya Sarkar (0-21) for three consecutive sixes and in the next over Williamson was dropped once again off Mashrafe Mortaza (0-42). This time the culprit was Tamim Iqbal.

The second drop did not prove costly as Rubel castled Williamson in the penultimate over but Anderson ended the innings strong with three more sixes as New Zealand posted 194 for four in the 20 overs. Anderson smashed 10 sixes in the innings which is the most for a New Zealand batsman.

Rubel was clearly the pick of the bowlers with three wickets to his name.

Sarkar (42) and Tamim (24) started the innings with a lot of promise, scoring three boundaries each as Bangladesh raced to 37 for naught in four overs.

Just after Tamim smashed the first six of the innings, Trent Boult (2-48) had him caught at midwicket. Sabbir Rahman (18) and Sarkar smashed five more boundaries in the next seven deliveries as Bangladesh were 69 for one by the end of six overs.

Just when the duo were looking good, Ish Sodhi (2-22) held a brilliant return catch to dismiss Sarkar and by the halfway mark, Bangladesh needed 106 runs.

From there on, the wickets continued to fell at regular intervals with only Shakib (41) making a significant contribution as Bangladesh managed only 167 for six in the 20 overs.

The 27-run win has taken New Zealand to 3-0 series whitewash in the T20I series and 6-0 in the overall tour. Anderson bagged the man of the match.