Memorable ODI debut for Mustafizur Rahman as Bangladesh lord it over India

Bangladesh cricketers congratulate teammate Mustafizur Rahman after he took five wickets on his one-day international debut on Thursday night. Munir uz Zaman / AFP

DHAKA // Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar and Shakib Al Hasan each hit a fifty as Bangladesh posted their highest score against India in the first one-day international of a three-match series on Thursday night.

Tamim made 60 runs while Sarkar and Shakib added 54 and 52 respectively, steering Bangladesh to 307 all out, surpassing their previous highest score of 296 for six against the former world champions.

The home team were looking for a more imposing total when Tamim and Sarkar posted 102 runs in the opening stand after captain and seamer Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and elected to bat.

However, a rain break that halted play about an hour in shifted the momentum, giving India a chance to claw their way back into the game.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who finished with three for 51, stopped the run flow with a tight spell after Sarkar’s run out earned India their first breakthrough.

Sarkar, who hit eight fours and a six, was imperious in his approach, racing to his second ODI fifty after just 38 balls before he was run out two later.

India heaved a sigh of relief when rain halted play and hit back after the resumption with Ashwin, who gave away just 12 runs in a spell of five overs for three quick wickets.

Tamim wasted his brilliant start holding out a catch at long on to Rohit Sharma to end his 62-ball innings, which included seven fours and a six.

Ashwin then trapped debutant Litton Das for eight and forced another mis-hit from Mushfiqur Rahim, also caught by Rohit at long on, for 14.

Shakib helped Bangladesh regroup with 83-run fifth wicket stand with Sabbir Rahman, who made 40.

Ravindra Jadeja bowled Sabbir to end their partnership and caught Shakib off Umesh Yadav at backward point, but Nasir Hossain (34) and Mortaza (21) played two cameos to take Bangladesh past the 300-mark.

Umesh claimed two for 58 while Bhuvneshwar Kumar chipped in with two for 37.

Tamim conceded he and Sarkar could have built on the foundation they had set for the rest of the team.

“Me and Soumya just wanted to enjoy our batting,” Tamim said. “Unfortunately he got out, otherwise we would have got much more.”

While conceding he was surprised at how well the fast bowlers from both sides fared yesterday, he lavished praised on his teammate Mustafizur.

“Mustafiz bowled exceptionally well. If you don’t express yourself in the middle, it is a waste of talent. That is what our coach says. If we get out playing our shots, it’s OK.”

The 19-year-old debutant was, naturally, thrilled at how well he did. “I wanted to perform well on debut,” he said after being named the man of the match. “I know only a few have taken five on debut, but all I wanted was to do well against India.”

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