New Zealand in a hard-fought win over Bangladesh

New Zealand skipper Tim Southee was pleased with his team's exceptional effort with the bat on Day 4 that saw them level the Test series in Bangladesh on Saturday.

Southee reserved special praise for Player of the Match Glenn Phillips, who shone with bat and ball in the series. Phillips' counter-attacking 87 had given the Kiwis a slender lead in the first innings and he was once again the key player in the fourth innings on a difficult wicket.

Combining with Mitchell Santner after the team were reduced to 69/6 in pursuit of 137, Phillips made an unbeaten 40 in 48 balls to take the team home and help them level the two-match ICC World Test Championship series.

"Glenn Phillips's effort throughout the match, his innings in the first innings was obviously crucial to keep us in the game and get us past Bangladesh in the first innings," Southee said praising Phillips' effort.

"He's still young in his spin career and the impact he's had with the ball in this series has been pleasing."

"He's a very positive guy in the way he plays. It's a different format, he still trusted that his way was the right way. So, I think it's pleasing to see on a difficult wicket, which I think, I look back to a few of his innings and a lot of his great innings have been on difficult wickets."

Southee wasn't too pleased with the wicket, where spinners thrived and claimed it was the "worst wicket" he has come across in his career.

"I think when you come to this part of the world, especially for us, the conditions are so foreign, particularly this Test match, very foreign to what we're used to," Southee stated.

"And I guess to lose the toss as well, and then to come out on top on a wicket like that was very pleasing. Like I said, a number of different guys have stepped up in different ways, and it's nice to bounce back after the first Test.

With a win apiece in the series, New Zealand and Bangladesh have 12 points each in the World Test Championship cycle after their first series.