Blair Tickner spearheads Black Caps to opening ODI win in Bangladesh

Saturday, 18 April 2026

1st ODI, Mirpur: New Zealand 247-8 (Henry Nicholls 68, Dean Foxcroft 59; Shoriful Islam 2-27) beat Bangladesh 221 all out in 48.3 overs (Saif Hassan 57, Towhid Hridoy 55; Blair Tickner 4-40, Nathan Smith 3-45) by 26 runs. Click here for full scorecard.

Blair Tickner said he was a more relaxed Black Cap.

But the pace bowler was pumped up about spearheading New Zealand to victory over Bangladesh in their opening ODI.

Tickner took 4-40, with all of his wickets coming late as the hosts in Mirpur collapsed in their chase for 248 overnight (NZ time).

It was a memorable comeback for the 32-year-old Central Stags pace spearhead, playing his 17th ODI. In his last Black Caps appearance four months ago, Tickner was assisted off after suffering a dislocated shoulder when diving for a ball in the field, after taking 4-32 against West Indies in the second test in Wellington.

Bangladesh lost their last six wickets for just 37 as NZ nabbed a 26-run victory in the first of three ODIs.

The tourists had initially put pressure on Bangladesh’s chase with some tight bowling through the middle overs from spinners Jayden Lennox and Dean Foxcroft, after attacking from the start with their quicks.

Opener Saif Hassan was given a let-off when dropped on one by Henry Nicholls at slip from Nathan Smith’s bowling.

He went on to make 57 from 76 balls and a third-wicket partnership worth 93 with Litton Das.

Towhid Hridoy (55 from 60) and Afif Hossain (27 from 49) took Bangladesh to 181-4 with 10 overs remaining to be favoured to get their side home. But Lennox got the breakthrough and with the required run-rate rising, Tickner finished off most of the rest.

As he predicted pre-tour, Tickner hit the deck hard with his deliveries and mixed in variations, while Smith took the final wicket after getting two in two balls at the top of the order.

It was Tickner’s third four-wicket haul in his last four ODIs, having gone back to back against England in Hamilton and Wellington last year including a career-best 4-34.

Henry Nicholls and Dean Foxcroft were instrumental earlier in getting the Black Caps to 247-8 in their 50 overs after a slow start.

The veteran left-hander looked in good nick as opener after a superb domestic season and hit nine fours in his 83-ball innings, while Foxcroft, making his first NZ appearance since April 2024, crafted a composed and controlled 59 from 58 balls in oppressive heat at No.6 when the visitors were struggling to compile a competitive total.

That was partly due to some smart bowling from left-armer Shoriful Islam, who took 2-27 from 10 overs while playing his first ODI in 16 months as New Zealand failed to register a single six.