DHAKA // Bangladesh produced a clinical performance with the ball and then backed it up with the bat to claim their first series win against India with a remarkable six-wicket victory in the second one-day international in the Bangladesh capital yesterday.
Chasing the visitors’ meek total of 200 in a rain-hit 47-overs-a-side match, Bangladesh scored 200 for four in 38 overs to make it two wins from two and clinch the three-match series.
Bangladesh’s left-arm paceman Mustafizur Rahman (6-43) was the star of the match. He picked up a back-to-back five-wicket hauls after his 5-50 in the first ODI. While chasing, Shakib Al Hasan top scored and remained unbeaten on 50.
India’s captain MS Dhoni blamed his side’s batting and hinted at a long season as the cause for their jaded performance.
“I don’t think I would blame the bowlers for this particular game as we did not have enough runs on the board,” Dhoni said.
“They (Bangladesh) are bowling well as a unit. Even when they did not get a wicket they kept it very tight.
“It’s the last game of the season for us. It’s been a long season and we are looking forward to play the next game.”
It was only Bangladesh’s fifth win in 31 ODI matches against their neighbours and came on the back of their contentious World Cup quarter-final loss that saw hostility between the two cricketing boards.
The victory also qualified Bangladesh for the Champions Trophy knockout tournament in England in 2017, which is contested by the world’s top eight ODI teams.
Opting to bat first, India got off to the worst possible start, losing opener Rohit Sharma off the second ball without scoring.
Virat Kohli (23), who has been out of form, was the next dismissed, leg before off the bowling of Nasir Hossain.
Dhoni made a surprise entry at four with India 74 for two in 12.3 overs. Shikhar Dhawan (53), who opened the innings, was looking good but was caught behind while trying to step up the run rate and gave a sharp edge to the wicketkeeper off the bowling of spinner Hossain.
Ambati Rayudu also gave his wicket away without scoring to leave India tottering at 110 for four in 21.4 overs. Raina (34) and Dhoni held fort but once that 50-run partnership was broken, the batting collapsed before rain stopped play.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza hailed Mustafizur’s efforts with the ball.
“It’s a great moment for us. To qualify for the Champions Trophy is a great achievement. We worked really hard in the nets,” he said.
“The way Mustafizur is bowling, suddenly he has become the big fish of the tournament.
“Hopefully he will keep going and deliver his best for the country. Hopefully we will continue this good form in the future as well.”
The run chase began on a positive note when openers Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar took the India bowlers on in the first couple of overs.
But Dhawal Kulkarni hit the brakes in the scoring as Tamim (13) was caught in the slips in the seventh over.
Incoming batsman Litton Das and his partner Sarkar took on the opposition bowlers and quick singles, twos and a couple of boundaries put the Indian fieldsmen under pressure.
As the hosts scored freely, India broke the short partnership when Sarkar was dismissed in the 17th over, with Litton Das going soon after.
But two experienced batsmen, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, pitched in at the right time with a 54-run partnership to inch Bangladesh closer to the victory.
Rahim’s wicket in the 30th over, when the score was 152 for four, raised India’s hopes but Shakib relied on his experience to steer his team to victory.
After the match a shy Mustafizur said: “I am happy to perform well. My teammates supported me very well.
“I want everyone to bless me to do well. I want to do even better in the next match.”
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