CHENNAI: Bangladesh made four changes in the playing XI against India in their second Super Fours match in Dubai on Wednesday. Despite winning their first match against Sri Lanka only a few days ago, they decided to tinker with the combination but they had some solid reasons to do so. One among them was bringing in Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
After his team opted to field, the right arm pacer bowled a brilliant first over beating the outside edge of India vice captain Shubman Gill a couple of times. Gill might have struggled against Tanzim but it was in-form and destructive Abhishek Sharma, who seemingly was on target. And why not, the 22-year-old pacer had picked Abhishek's wicket twice in the previous two innings conceding just eight runs off seven balls.
As Bangladesh, who were playing without their regular skipper Litton Das as he was ruled out due to side strain, expected, the moment came sooner than later. The Indian opener, the leading scorer in the tournament so far, followed a ball that nipped away from him in the third over of the innings and got a thick outside edge but stand-in captain and wicketkeeper Jaker Ali could not hold it despite diving to his left.
Sharma was on seven off seven with one four then while India were 10 for no loss after 2.3 overs. It changed from thereon as left arm spinner Nasum Ahmed was plundered for 21 runs in the next over and veteran Mustafizur Rahman, who replaced Tanzim, was hit for 15 runs in the next over taking India to 55 in five overs. Mohammad Saifuddin was introduced from the other end but Sharma came down heavily on him hitting the medium pacer for four boundaries including three in a row. The fruitful over meant Suryakumar Yadav and Co reached 72/0 in the powerplay with Abhishek unbeaten on 49 off just 19 balls with his innings being laced with five fours and three sixes.
India lost Gill in the next over bowled by impressive legbreak bowler Rishad Hossain but Sharma was in no mood to relent as he went on to complete his second consecutive 50 of the tournament. Hossain then accounted for Shivam Dube, who was promoted up the order, as well but it hardly bothered the Punjab batter as he continued to pile on runs threatening to take the match away from the opponents. Bangladesh desperately needed a wicket at that juncture and they got the big one thanks to some misunderstanding between Abhishek and the Indian skipper.
Yadav dabbed a Mustafizur's delivery to backward point but Hossain hurled himself to his left and stopped the ball before throwing it back to the bowler, who, after an initial fumble, broke the stumps just in time to send back Abhishek. Yadav was also sent back in the same over as India, who were cruising at 112/2 after 11 overs, were reduced to 114/4 in the span of just six balls.
The double blow, especially Sharma's wicket, gave Bangladesh an opportunity to come back in the match and their bowlers didn't disappoint as they gave away only 54 runs in the next eight overs to restrict India to 168/6. Tilak Varma fell to Tanzim in his attempt to up the ante while Hardik Pandya managed 38 off 29 including some lusty blows towards the end to help the team go past 160.
In the end it proved more than enough as India not only won the contest but also became the first team to enter the final. The winners from Pakistan-Bangladesh match on Thursday will join them in the summit clash scheduled on Sunday.
Brief scores: India 168/6 in 20 ovs (Abhishek 75, Pandya 38; Hossain 2/27) bt Bangladesh 127 in 19.3 ovs (Hassan 69; Kuldeep 3/18, Bumrah 2/18, Chakravarthy 2/29).
