NZ v BAN: Williamson guides Kiwis to comfortable victory

Williamson scored his sixth T20I fifty and became the fourth Black Caps batsman to surpass 1000 runs in the T20I to give his side a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Kane Williamson led from the front, as he guided the Kiwis home in the first T20 against Bangladesh by scoring an unbeaten 73 (55).

Kane Williamson's highest Twenty20 International score of 73 not out propelled New Zealand to a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Napier.

> Scorecard and ball-by-ball report

Williamson scored his sixth T20I fifty and became the fourth Black Caps batsman to surpass 1000 runs in the format to give his side a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Mahmudullah’s half-century helped Bangladesh set New Zealand a target of 142 for the win, but a brilliant knock from Colin de Grandhomme (41 off 22 balls) supported the New Zealand skipper and ensured they achieved it with two overs remaining.

Neil Broom (6) was caught brilliantly off Rubel Hossain (1-43) by Shakib Al Hasan, who tossed the ball up in the air as his momentum took him over the ropes before spinning and diving to finish it off. Mustafizur Rahman (1-21) sent Colin Munro packing for a duck in the next over and Williamson, who had already reached the boundary three times, stepped off the gas.

He regained confidence when De Grandhomme joined him at the crease and launched Mashrafe Mortaza (0-22) for a maximum off the fourth ball he faced. The skipper brought up his fifty with a six from a lovely pull shot over square leg and the runs continued to flow.

Soumya Sarkar was sent beyond in the ropes three times, including back-to-back fours from De Grandhomme, as his only over cost 17 runs. And while Williamson had laid the groundwork, it was De Grandhomme who completed the job with successive boundaries, the final one being a drilled six over point.

Prior to that, debutants Lockie Ferguson (3-32) and Ben Wheeler (2-22) played a pivotal in limiting Bangladesh during the opening innings. Ferguson removed Sabbir Rahman (16) and Sarkar (0) off successive deliveries before capping his innings by removing Mahmudullah, whose 52 off 47 balls included trios of fours and sixes, in the final over as Bangladesh suffered a fourth straight defeat on the tour.