New Zealand drew first blood in their ODI series against Bangladesh, securing a hard-fought 26-run victory in sweltering conditions to take a 1-0 lead. The win was a testament to their resilience and clinical execution under pressure.

Choosing to bat first on a tricky surface, the Kiwis built a competitive total of 247/8. The innings was anchored by a composed 68 from Henry Nicholls and a fluent 59 by Dean Foxcroft, partnerships that proved invaluable on a day where scoring wasn't easy.

Defending 248, New Zealand's pace attack rose to the challenge. Despite early resistance from Bangladesh's Saif Hasan (57) and Liton Das (46), the trio of Blair Tickner, Nathan Smith, and Will O'Rourke applied relentless pressure. Tickner's fiery final spell, yielding four wickets, was the decisive blow, cleaning up the tail to bowl Bangladesh out for 221.

This disciplined bowling performance, overcoming both a fighting chase and extreme heat, showcased the depth of New Zealand's squad. Bangladesh showed glimpses of a fight but will need to regroup quickly, as New Zealand heads into the second ODI with all the momentum and a series lead to protect.