Shawdesh Desk:

Bangladesh returned to form and set New Zealand a challenging target of 272 runs to win the second one-day international in Christchurch on Tuesday.

Batting to avoid a series defeat, Bangladesh finished their alloted 50 overs on 271 for six after losing the toss and being put into bat.

Skipper Tamim Iqbal top-scored with 78 and Mohammad Mithun contributed an unbeaten 73 off 57 balls.

It was a marked improvement on the tourists’ series opener, when they were skittled for 131 and slumped to an eight-wicket defeat.

Black Caps skipper Tom Latham hoped for a similar collapse at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval but Mitchell Santner was the best of the New Zealand bowlers with two wickets for 51.