CHITTAGONG, Nov 2: Fast bowler Kyle Mills grabbed four wickets in a dream spell as New Zealand thrashed Bangladesh by 138 runs in the opening one-day international on Tuesday.

Mills, 25, virtually reduced the match to a no-contest when he wrecked Bangladesh's top order with four quick wickets in his incisive six-over opening spell to eventually finish with a career-best haul of 4-14.

Bangladesh had an opportunity to post a rare victory against a Test-playing nation when they restricted New Zealand to a modest 224 on a slow pitch despite a fighting 74 from man-of-the-match Chris Cairns.

But the hosts could never recover from Mills's early blows, crashing to their fourth-lowest total of 86 to suffer their 89th defeat in 96 matches. They have so far registered just two wins against Test-playing sides, beating Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

Skipper Habibul Bashar, returning to the side after missing a recent two-Test series against the tourists due to a thumb injury, top-scored with 22 in a dismal batting performance.

The tourists were struggling against a disciplined Bangladeshi spin attack before Cairns propped up the innings with an 83-ball 74. He hit fives sixes in his 23rd half-century.

Cairns fell in the last over when he bottom-edged a Nazmul Hossain delivery on to his stumps to become the young fast bowler's fourth victim of the innings.

Hossain, 17, was the most successful bowler as he finished with 4-40 off 8.2 overs in only his third one-dayer.

Left-arm spinners Manjural Rana (2-35) and Mohammad Rafique (1-28) played key roles in restricting New Zealand with their tight bowling. They never allowed the top-order batsmen to score freely, conceding just 63 runs off 20 overs.

New Zealand were 94-5 before Cairns steadied the innings with a 49-run stand for the sixth wicket with Scott Styris (43).

The tourists were still in danger of falling before the 200-mark before Cairns went on the rampage in the closing overs.

He completed his half-century with a six over long-on off Hossain. He hit one more six in the same over and then two in the next off Tapash Baisya to pull his team out of trouble.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

P.G. Fulton b Nazmul 9

N.J. Astle b Nazmul 27

H.J.H. Marshall st K. Mashud b Manjural 7

S.B. Styris run out 43

C.D. McMillan c K. Mashud b Baisya 17

B.B. McCullum b Rafique 8

C.L. Cairns b Nazmul 74

C.Z. Harris c Rajin b Manjural 5

D.L. Vettori b Baisya 12

A.R. Adams c K. Mahmud b Nazmul 4

K.D. Mills not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-11, NB-3) 18

Total (all out, 49.2 overs) 224

FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-49, 3-50, 4-77, 5-94, 6-143, 7-168, 8-191, 9-224.

BOWLING: Tapash Baisya 10-0-58-2 (3nb, 1w); Nazmul Hossain 8.2-1-40-4 (2w); Manjural Islam Rana 10-0-35-2 (2w); Khaled Mahmud 5-0-28-0 (1w); Mohammad Rafique 10-2-28-1; Rajin Saleh 6-0-31-0 (5w).

BANGLADESH:

Aftab Ahmed lbw b Mills 4

Javed Omar c Fulton b Mills 3

Rajin Saleh c McMillan b Mills 4

Habibul Bashar lbw Styris 22

M. Ashraful c McCullum b Mills 2

M. Islam Rana c Styris b Vettori 13

Khaled Mashud lbw Styris 2

Khaled Mahmud st McCullum b Vettori 14

M. Rafique c Styris b Harris 11

Tapash Baisya c Adams b Vettori 2

Nazmul Hossain not out 1

EXTRAS (W-7, NB-1) 8

TOTAL (all out, 31.5 overs) 86

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-10, 3-23, 4-27, 5-45, 6-51, 7-68, 8-79, 9-83.

BOWLING: Mills 7-2-14-4 (1nb, 3w); Adams 6-1-24-0 (1w); Cairns 4-2-5-0; Styris 6-3-13-2; Harris 5-0-21-1 (2w); Vettori3.5-0-9-3.

SECOND MATCH: Dhaka (D/N) on Friday.

THIRD MATCH: Dhaka (D/N) on Sunday. -Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...
Centre vs provinces
Updated 10 Jun, 2026

Centre vs provinces

The reason the centre finds itself in this position is rooted in its failure to expand the tax net and boost revenues.
Party in crisis
10 Jun, 2026

Party in crisis

THE young KP chief minister must be starting to realise just how thorny a seat he occupies. There has been a flurry...
Varsity woes
10 Jun, 2026

Varsity woes

FINANCIAL crises affecting public sector universities across Pakistan are now having an impact on academic...