Williamson, Mitchell star as New Zealand hand Bangladesh another defeat

Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell hit half-centuries as New Zealand cruised to an eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in the ongoing World Cup. 

Williamson scored a measured 78 in his comeback match to set up New Zealand's third consecutive win. Mitchell hit an attacking 89* off 67 to see off the chase.

Defending 245, Bangladesh kept things tight in the first powerplay and in the process, Mustafizur Rahman got the wicket of Rachin Ravindra. 

Mustafizur and Shoriful swung the new ball both ways and beat the bat of the New Zealand top-order batters on numerous occasions. 

Conway and Kane Williamson looked more comfortable post-powerplay and added 80 off 105 for the second wicket before Shakib Al Hasan trapped him leg-before. The southpaw made 45 off 59.

Despite losing his partner, Williamson remained patient and notched up his fifty off 81 balls. He started slow, absorbed a lot of pressure and kept the chase on track.

The New Zealand captain walked off as a precautionary measure after getting hit on the thumb by a direct throw from Najmul Hossain Shanto. Williamson added a run-a-ball 108 with Daryl Mitchell. The right-hander scored 78 off 107 balls.

On the other hand, Mitchell was at his brutal best, hitting the ball cleanly. He started off his innings with a maximum and never looked back.  

Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim hit his second consecutive fifty as Bangladesh scored 245 for nine against New Zealand at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in the ongoing World Cup.

New Zealand fast bowlers Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult and Matt Henry shared seven wickets among them and the spinners were extremely economical on a surface where the ball came nicely onto the bat.

In a baffling event, Litton Das skipped down the track in the very first ball and attempted a flick off Trent Boult, only succeeding in hitting the ball straight to deep fine leg where Matt Henry was stationed. 

Kane Williamson brought in Lockie Ferguson in the eighth over to attack more and got rid of Tanzid Hasan (16 off 16) as the southpaw flicked the ball to Devon Conway at square leg. Bangladesh scored 46 for the loss of both the openers after the first powerplay. 

Miraz looked good but he was done by Ferguson's pace when he tried to pull one. Henry got his second catch of the day. The right-hander made 30 off 46. 

As Najmul Hossain Shanto too fell right after that, the onus was then on Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim to take Bangladesh to a respectable total.

Mushfiqur and Shakib have provided the much-needed stability after the early damage. Mushfiqur, in particular, looked very comfortable both against pace and spin. 

He punished the spinners Phillips and Santner and used the pace of Boult and Ferguson to bring up his second consecutive half-century off just 52 balls.

Shakib struggled to rotate the strike in the early part of his innings and at one stage started suffering from cramps. 

The Bangladesh captain took the aerial route, hitting Rachin Ravindra for a six and a four and Ferguson for a six, but soon was beaten for pace and Tom Latham took the catch. Shakib made 40 off 51. He added 96 with Mushfiqur. 

Mushfiqur got out in the 36th over against the run of play as a Matt Henry off-cutter kept low and hit the stumps. He hit six fours and two sixes in his masterful 66 off 75. 

Bangladesh scored 70 runs off 14.1 overs after Mushfiqur's fall as Bangladesh finished with after 50 overs. Mahmudullah, in at eight, scored 41* off 49.