Hamilton, New Zealand: Mahmudullah followed an historic World Cup century against England earlier in the week with an unbeaten hundred Friday, posting a commanding 128 not out as Bangladesh scored 288-7 in a Pool A match against unbeaten New Zealand.
Mahmudullah's 103 in a 15-run win which eliminated England was the first century by a Bangladesh batsman in a World Cup match. He followed it with his second one-day international century and the highest individual score for his nation in the World Cup.
He went to the crease when Bangladesh was 27-2 in the 10th over and carried his bat for the remainder of the innings, hitting 12 boundaries and three sixes to lift his run tally for the tournament to 344 and his average to 68.8.
In partnerships of 90 for the third wicket with Soumya Sarkar (51) and 78 from 48 balls for the sixth wicket with Sabbir Rahman (40), he lifted Bangladesh to the highest total any team has achieved against New Zealand at this tournament and ensured it became the first team New Zealand has failed to bowl out in its six pool matches.
Mahmadullah's innings was given greater stature by the difficult circumstances in which it was compiled.
Bangladesh endured a torrid start after being sent in by New Zealand, as the ball swung prodigiously in the hands of Trent Boult and Tim Southee. It struggled to 4-0 after five overs as the ball repeatedly beat the bat and was 27-2 when Boult claimed his second wicket to regain his status as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 15.
Mahmudullah helped Bangladesh dig in until the ball stopped swinging and repaired the innings with Sarkar, who reached his maiden half century in his sixth one-day international.
Their 90-run partnership came from 108 balls and ended when Sarkar, having played with discipline for 94 minutes, was lured into a loose shot by Daniel Vettori and was caught in the deep.
Mahmadullah's 50 came from 63 balls with five boundaries and contained ambitious stroke play that was both orthodox and improvised. He used his feet well to counter the early swing and batted with confidence understandable in a batsman who has scored 62, 103 and 128 not out in his last three World Cup innings — two centuries and three half centuries in his last seven innings in ODIs.
He set the Bangladesh innings on its firmest footing in his rapid stand with Sabbir whose 40 from 23 balls including five fours — three in one over from Southee — and two sixes.
Boult finished with 2-56 from his 10 overs, Corey Anderson 2-53 and Grant Elliott took 2-27 from two overs later in the innings, breaking the partnership between Mahmudullah and Sabbir.
Mitchell McClenaghan, who replaced the injured Adam Milne in the first change New Zealand has made to its lineup in six matches, returned 0-68.
Bangladesh achieved its demanding total in the absence of captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who was rested on Friday because of a sore throat.
