WELLINGTON: After Bangladesh was defeated by the host team in the T20I tri-series final, Pakistan will play New Zealand.
The final will take place on October 14 (Friday), just days before the T20 World Cup in Australia begins this month.
Today’s math saw half-centuries from Glenn Phillips and Devon Conway help New Zealand defeat Bangladesh by 48 runs to go to the series decider.
After defeating Pakistan on Tuesday by nine wickets, New Zealand put on another impressive batting performance to give Bangladesh a target of 208. However, the visitors only managed to score 160-7.
New Zealand rested captain Kane Williamson as his team easily followed up Sunday’s eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh to demonstrate their World Cup credentials.
Bangladesh cannot advance to the tri-series final with a third straight defeat, and their match against Pakistan on Thursday is a no-go.
Conway hit 64 off 40 balls for New Zealand, and his 45-run partnership with Finn Allen, who went on 32 after a superb Yasir Ali catch, set the tone.
Phillips, who was born in South Africa, was named man-of-the-match after scoring 60 runs off 24 balls to help New Zealand reach 208 for the loss of only five wickets.
In the fourth over, Adam Milne, who had returned from an abdominal strain, clean-bowled Najmul Hossain Shanto, who had scored 11 runs off 12 balls.
Liton Das, Shanto’s opening partner, was caught off Martin Guptill from Michael Bracewell’s bowling, leaving Bangladesh on 47-2.
Shakib Al Hasan, their captain, provided the most resistance with 70 off 40 balls, including eight fours.
As the game slipped away from Bangladesh, he was finally out when he edged his attempted shot over the cover to New Zealand wicketkeeper Conway.
