Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan said on Wednesday that they have “overcome the barrier” that prevented them from winning close games against India.

Bangladesh earned their second successive ODI series victory over India after earning a five-run win in the second game of the three-match series, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.

The two countries have developed a rivalry in recent times though India have had an upper hand over their Asian neighbours, losing only seven games out of 38 ODIs played between the two teams. What that stat doesn’t convey are the number of heartbreaks Bangladesh have endured against India, losing games from winning positions. According to Mehidy, the team is now more confident when playing India.

“We have lost many close matches from the point of winning and it happened a lot against India. After winning these two matches I feel we have crossed a barrier (that prevented us from crossing the line against them),” Mehidy told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.

“The barrier was probably gone in the last game and all of us played well and we are hoping that we will do well in the coming days. There is an opportunity (to clean sweep them) and we cannot relax even though we have won the series. Every game is important for us,” he added.

Mehidy, who hit his maiden ODI ton and has been instrumental in this series win, said that he is ecstatic to do well against India. “This is a big thing for me and India is a big team, and performing well against India will always give you satisfaction,” he said. “I was not thinking that I will have to do it. The best thing is that we have won the series against India for the second time and we played according to the situation.”

Mehidy added that Bangladesh, at the back end, were ready for Rohit Sharma, who didn’t open but instead came in to bat at No 9 owing to an injury and nearly won the game for India.

“We were mentally prepared that Rohit Sharma might come to bat and we had plans around how to bowl against him. At the end of the day, you have to pick wickets. It must be said that he batted really well and his batting was a positive for them but overall, I think our bowlers did really well,” said Mehidy.

“There was a partnership and it can always happen. Despite everything we did well to overcome it. Mustafizur bowled outstandingly while Ebadot, Shakib bhai and Nasum bowled well. I had a cramp so could not bowl but (Mahmudullah) Riyad bhai helped bowl my three-four overs.”