New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson stole the show in the first T20I against Bangladesh, as the elegant batsman remained unbeaten on 73 during a tricky run-chase at Napier. Needing a moderate 142 to win the game, the Kiwis were under the barrage constantly with Bangladesh bowlers bowling accurately and keeping the run-rate well in check. However, Williamson remained solid and along with all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme ensured that the hosts got home safely with two overs to spare.
However, Williamson remained in the news for more than one reason alone. While batting, the Blackcaps skipper wore his jersey which misspelt his name. Rather than having Williamson written, the jersey mentioned “Willamson”. This resulted in a funny moment as the commentators ended up having a laugh at this sight.
“I did realize yeah – I had to wear a shirt and someone spelt my name wrong. I’m not sure who did that. It’s all good, it still felt the same,” Williamson said in the post match conference after his team took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza was disappointed with the result and blamed team’s batting for the loss. “The turning point was when we were 30 for four. It also put us back,” Mortaza said. “If it hadn’t been for Mahmudullah’s unbelievable innings, we wouldn’t reach 141.
“You would have seen that at least one batsman stepped up in our four international matches on this tour so far. But there wasn’t a collective effort with two or more batsmen also making contributions. Nobody has been supporting the batsman who is doing well. I think this is becoming a turning point for us.”