With the threat of rain looming in the sky above Mount Maunganui, some might argue that hosts New Zealand effectively dealt their visiting opponents, Bangladesh, a killer blow by forcing them to bat first. Just days ago, incessant downpour had washed away what was meant to be the second of three T20 Internationals between the two cricketing behemoths, with not enough of it played to declare a clear winner. That, though, was not the case on December 31, 2023 (IST), when rain intervened again, much to the dismay of those who had filed into the Bay Oval, albeit, this time,?there was a clear benefactor.?(Cricket News)

Bangladesh?had enjoyed their latest trip to New Zealand. First, the Bangla Tigers had beaten the Black Caps in a dead-rubber One Day International, registering their first win in New Zealand in this format. They?then?defeated the hosts in the first of three T20Is, matching their milestone from days earlier. Another victory in the shortest of the three formats would have given Bangladesh their first T20I Series win in the country.?

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That, however, wasn't to be, with the collapse of the Bangladesh batting playing as much of a role in the eventual third T20I defeat as the rain. Led by captain Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand bowling attack picked apart the Bangladesh top order with relative ease, with only four of the first six batters reaching double figures and the highest score among them being Najmul Hossain Shanto's 17. The rest of the team, too, fell like dominoes, collapsing at 110 with four balls left to go in their innings.?

Chasing a low target, New Zealand made things difficult for themselves after four of their first five batters threw away their wickets for one run each. Opener Finn Allen persisted, but when Shoriful Islam scalped the batter, the notion of an embarrassing defeat to an opponent that had never won a game in New Zealand a month ago began setting in.?

Things turned for good for the Black Caps, however, as James Neesham and Mitchell Santner stabilised the sinking ship with steady knocks. With New Zealand 15 runs away from the target, rain intervened and forced the match to be called off, gifting the win to the hosts through the DLS method.?

Series tied, Santner and Shanto jointly lifted the cup to signal the end of the cricketing year in New Zealand and Bangladesh.?