Agencies
Underdogs Bangladesh have defeated New Zealand for the first time in Test cricket with a sensational eight-wicket win in their first Test in Tauranga.
According to media reports, the Kiwis started day five on 147-5 but lost five wickets for just 22 runs, with opener Will Young making 69 and pace bowler Ebadat Hossain taking 6-56 on Wednesday.
That left Bangladesh needing just 40 to win, which they patiently knocked off inside 17 overs.
The second and final Test of the series starts on Saturday in Christchurch.
According to the BBC, Bangladesh had lost 12 and drawn three of their previous 15 Tests against New Zealand. Wednesday’s victory was just their sixth win in 61 overseas Tests – with their previous wins against West Indies (two), Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe (two).
“I can’t describe it, it’s unbelievable,” BBC quoted Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque as saying. “I couldn’t sleep yesterday because of the pressure. It was very important to win this Test match. I said previously that we need to win these Test matches for our legacy.”
It is the first Test that New Zealand have lost at home since March 2017, when they lost to South Africa in Wellington. It is also the first time they have to lost to a team from Asia since Pakistan beat them by nine wickets in Hamilton in January 2011, BBC further reported.
Earlier in the game, New Zealand were bowled out for 328 in their first innings after being put into bat, despite Devon Conway making 122 in his first Test on home soil.
Bangladesh built a first-innings lead of 130 after making 458, despite nobody making a century.
New Zealand were crowned World Test champions when they beat India in Southampton last June.
