New Zealand took a 1-0 lead as they beat Bangladesh by 26 runs in the first of the three ODIs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

Henry Nicholls and Dean Foxcroft both hit fifties as the Kiwis posted 247-8 in 50 overs. Saif Hassan and Towhid Hridoy also struck fifties, but those were in vain as Bangladesh were folded for 221 in 48.3 overs.

Nathan Smith struck twice in consecutive deliveries in the fourth over to rattle both Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto’s stumps as Bangladesh faced an early blow in the chase.

Saif and Litton Das, however, recovered well with a partnership of 93 runs off 116 balls.

Saif, who survived on one, reached the second fifty of his career in 59 balls before falling to Will O’Rourke. He made 57 off 76 with eight fours and a six.

Litton followed him soon when he was undone by a beauty from Dean Foxcroft after making 46 off 68. His wait for another ODI fifty continued as his last one came in 2023.

After Saif and Litton’s departure, Towhid and Afif Hossain formed another fifty-partnership of 52 runs.

Afif, though, struggled throughout his innings, where he made 27 off 49, before mistiming one to the hands of long-on off Jayden Lennox.

However, they started to lose the plot as the required run rate was creeping up. Captain Mehidy Hasan fell while trying to reverse scoop Blair Tickner, while Rishad Hossain was caught and bowled superbly by the same bowler.

Tickner also had Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed bowled in five deliveries across two overs to put Bangladesh on the brink.

Towhid completed his fifty with a six off Smith, but it was all over for him and Bangladesh in the very next delivery.

Earlier Shoriful, who replaced Mustafizur Rahman in the last minute, after the latter felt ‘slight discomfort on his right knee’ during the warm-ups, picked up two wickets for 27 runs.

Taskin and Rishad also grabbed two wickets each, while Mehidy and Rishad took one apiece.

Shoriful drew the first blood for Bangladesh when he had Nick Kelly chopped on after a slow start from the visitors.

Will Young, who was dropped on one by Saif off Shoriful, contributed 30 in a 73-run partnership with Nicholls before throwing his wicket away off Rishad.

Mehidy dismissed his New Zealand counterpart Tom Latham with an arm ball that kept low. Bangladesh had two quick wickets in that period as Nicholls became Rishad’s second scalp after making 68 off 83.

Foxcroft then tried to accelerate with his innings of 59 off 58—where he struck eight fours—but New Zealand couldn’t forge a big partnership.

Shoriful had Muhammad Abbas before Taskin removed Josh Clarkson, while Foxcroft was cleaned up by Nahid—who bowled a fiery yet expensive spell where he gave away 65 runs from 10 overs. Nathan Smith remained unbeaten on 21 off 22.