Finn Allen helps New Zealand complete clean sweep of Bangladesh in T20 series

Visitors lose all six white-ball matches of tour as Kiwis win seventh home series of the season

New Zealand's Finn Allen hit 71 from just 29 balls in the third T20 against Bangladesh in Auckland on Thursday, April 1, 2021. AFP

Finn Allen of New Zealand hit 10 fours and three sixes during his innings against Bangladesh at Eden Park. Getty

New Zealand spinner Todd Astle picked up four wickets in the third T20 against Bangladesh. Getty

Bangladesh’s Najmul Shanto is bowled in Auckland. AFP

Bangladesh’s Shoriful Islam is dismissed during the third T20. AFP

New Zealand captain Tim Southee takes the catch of Bangladesh batsman Soumya Sarkar. Getty

New Zealand's players celebrate their 3-0 T20 series victory. AFP

Bangladesh lost both the ODI and T20 series in New Zealand 3-0. AFP

New Zealand opener Finn Allen smashed 71 off 29 deliveries to help the hosts thrash Bangladesh by 65 runs in the rain-shortened third T20 on Thursday to complete a 3-0 clean sweep of the series.

Allen, who will turn 22 this month, hit 10 fours and three sixes in his knock to help New Zealand put on a total of 141-4 after wet weather forced the match at Auckland to be reduced to 10 overs per side.

Bangladesh were all out for 76 with three balls to spare, well short of the target. The visitors had lost 3-0 in the preceding ODI series, which makes it six straight defeats in white-ball matches in the tour.

Spinner Todd Astle was the standout bowler, taking 4-13 in his two over spell.

Captain Tim Southee said it was satisfying for the New Zealanders to notch their seventh home series win of the season in all formats.

"It's been a great summer and we've played some good cricket and seen a lot of guys come into the environment and do well," he said.

Bangladesh captain Liton Das said mistakes cost his side, including a series of dropped catches that allowed Allen to run away with the match.

"We're not playing good cricket in batting and fielding," he said.

"We've been very good bowling but that's cost us. We're a young team and we're learning."

New Zealand made a blistering start, with Martin Guptill smashing three sixes in the first two overs.

Allen was also finding the boundary but rode his luck with two dropped catches as the Black Caps raced to 69 without loss after five overs.

Guptill smashed 16 off the first three balls from Mahedi Hasan but the spinner had his revenge when the batsman was caught on 44 trying to clear the rope.

Allen brought up his maiden half century off 18 balls and was gifted another life when Soumya Sarkar dropped a straightforward chance.

He finally fell in the final over, scooping a Taskin Ahmed delivery over his head to the fielder, but by then the damage had been done.

Bangladesh made a disastrous start, losing two wickets to paceman Southee in the opening over.

They were starting to rebuild when Astle also claimed a brace, leaving Bangladesh teetering on 37-4.

Astle's second over proved just as destructive and the tourists had no answer as the run rate climbed to an insurmountable level.