Colin Munro became the third New Zealand player to score a Twenty20 international century as he made 101 from 54 balls to lead the hosts to a 47-run win over Bangladesh yesterday and to a winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
South Africa-born Munro followed Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill to the milestone as he took his maiden century from 52 balls, guiding New Zealand to 195-7 after being sent in to bat at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
Bangladesh were all out for 148 in reply, briefly threatening New Zealand’s total, before faltering and losing their last wicket in the 19th over.
Photo: AFP
Munro was supported in a 123-run partnership for New Zealand’s fourth wicket by Tom Bruce, who made an unbeaten 59, a maiden half-century in only his second Twenty20 international.
The pair steered New Zealand out of trouble after they lost stand-in opener Luke Ronchi to the first ball of the match and slumped to 46-3 in the sixth over.
“Colin’s knock... anytime you get a performance like that in Twenty20 cricket it’s very special,” New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said. “We know he’s a stroke-maker, so when he hits with that freedom we’ve seen what he can do and hopefully it continues. It was a match-winning knock and also Tom Bruce in his second match made a great contribution.”
Munro, who came to the crease with the match only one ball old, took on the bowlers from the outset, propelling New Zealand along at 10 runs per over through the first four overs.
He hit seven sixes and seven fours in an innings which set up a victory that extended New Zealand’s perfect record against Bangladesh this summer, having won all three one-day internationals and also the first Twenty20.
Munro was especially severe on Mahmdullah in the 13th over from which he plundered 28 runs — three sixes, two fours and a two.
“The way Munro took all those chances and the way he batted was really good, but after losing three wickets we couldn’t put enough pressure on them,” Bangladesh captain Masrafe Mortaza said.
“At some stages we were very close. From 48 balls we needed 78 or 80 runs with six wickets in hand, so we could have done a lot better,” he said.
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