Tamim Iqbal of the Wellington Firebirds plays a shot against Northern Knights during their HRV Cup Twenty20 match at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand on Tuesday. — Internet photo

Bangladeshi opening batsman Tamim Iqbal started off the New Year with a brilliant 68 in the HRV Twenty20 Cup though his team Wellington Firebirds lost the match to Northern Districts by nine wickets at Bay Oval on Tuesday.
The dashing left hander, who was out on a duck in his previous match, struck four fours and equal number of sixes during his blistering knock off 49 balls.
This was Tamim’s first fifty in four matches in the HRV Cup after he managed to score 14, 35 and a zero in his earlier outings.
He added 90 runs for the opening partnership with New Zealander Jesse Ryder (62 off 37 balls) as Firebirds posted a massive 197-4.
But the target was easily chased by Northern Districts after their openers Anton Devcich (92 not out) and Brad Wilson (74) put on 165 runs in only 15 overs. They eventually reached 200-1 with an over to spare.
Tamim’s Firebirds are placed third in the HRV Cup table with 16 points from seven matches.