A complete batting collapse by New Zealand saw them crumble to 265-8 against Bangladesh on Friday.
It is do-or-die for both teams. The winner will hope that England can beat Australia in the final Group A match, which will ensure that either Bangladesh or New Zealand advance.
Williamson would have felt vindicated in his decision to bat first as Martin Guptill powered the Kiwis to 31-0 after five overs.
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The Tigers finally got a breakthrough when Luke Ronchi (16) succumbed to Taskin Ahmed in the eighth over. Williamson and Guptill proceeded to to take the score past 50, before Rubel Hossain accounted for the dangerous Guptill for 33 (four fours, one six).
Williamson was joined in the middle by Ross Taylor and the pair moved the score into three-figures in the 18th over. A boundary from Williamson in the 23rd over helped the partnership advance past fifty for the second successive match.
Williamson has truly led from the front in this campaign as he registered his third 50+ score in as many matches. Together he and Taylor continued to bat well and brought the 150 up for the Kiwis.
Just when the duo were beginning to dominate the Bangladesh attack, Shakib al Hasan reined them in. He bowled five dots to begin the 30th over, before a mix-up between the batsmen sent Williamson packing for 57 (five fours).
Taylor marched on in his captain’s absence and put on 49 for the 4th wicket with Neil Broom, before he too had to depart for 63 (six fours).
Though a 27-run partnership between Broom and James Neesham followed, the Bangladeshi bowlers were determined to finish the innings well.
The dismissal of Broom (36) by Mosaddek Hossain precipitated the third Kiwi middle-order collapse in as many matches. Though not as dramatic as the collapse against England, New Zealand lost three wickets for the addition of only 11 runs.
The New Zealanders staggered their way over the 250-mark before Bangladesh struck again, this time it was Mustafizur Rahman that shattered Asam Milne’s stumps.
New Zealand will lament a disappointing last 10 overs that saw the addition of only 62 runs for the loss of four wickets.
Hossain was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3-13 in three overs.
Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images
