Incessant rain washed out the first ODI between Bangladesh and New Zealand on Thursday.

Match officials declared the game in Dhaka abandoned after rain halted the Black Caps innings at 136-5 in 33.4 overs.

Will Young was the highest scorer for New Zealand with 58 off 91 balls and shared 97 runs with Henry Nicholls for the third wicket to help the visitors recover from 2-16.

Bangladesh earlier won the toss  and elected to bowl first, but rain stopped the game for more than two hours after just 4.3 overs.

Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Finn Allen for nine and Chad Bowes for one in successive overs after play resumed. The rain truncated the game into a 42-overs-a-side contest.

Young and Nicholls repaired the damage, before Mustafizur broke their partnership by trapping Nicholls lbw for 44.

Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed soon removed Young and Rachin Ravindra to halt New Zealand’s progress.

Young earlier survived on 18, as Bangladesh decided against reviewing an appeal for lbw against the batsman.

Tom Blundell and Cole McConchie were batting, both on eight when rain stopped New Zealand’s innings for a second time.

Mustafizur finished with 3-27, while Nasum claimed 2-21.

The second and third ODIs will be played at the same ground on 23 and 26 September.

New Zealand have not won an ODI series in Bangladesh in the past 15 years, having lost all seven matches to the hosts in the last two series in 2010 and 2013.

This series will be the last for both teams before the World Cup starts in neighbouring India on 5 October.

© Agence France-Presse