It could supposedly be termed as a “reality check” for Team India as it succumbed to a five-run defeat to Bangladesh in the second One-Day International (ODI) at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday. The conquest allowed the Tigers to register their first-ever consecutive ODI series win at home against India. At the same time, most of the credit goes to Mehidy Hasan for his prolific unbeaten century, allowing the Bangladeshis to post a match-winning total from a precarious situation. Also, it was a collective effort by the host bowlers, making the Indian batters toil as the Tigers’ fans erupted on social media.

Winning the toss, Bangladesh skipper Litton Das opted to bat, while the Indians made a couple of changes to their playing XI. The hosts were off to a jittery start, losing six wickets with just 69 runs on the board. However, Mahmudullah (77) and Mehidy (100*) put up a 148-run partnership for the seventh wicket to bring the hosts back into the innings.

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The stand was Bangladesh’s highest for the seventh wicket in the format and the highest in ODIs by any side for the said wicket against the Indians. While pacer Umran Malik broke the partnership in the 47th, getting rid of Mahmudullah, Mehidy and Nasum Ahmed (18*) batted until the end of the innings to post a winning total of 271/7.

While the Indian bowlers were pushed onto the back foot in the latter half of the innings, off-spinner Washington Sundar scalped three and was also the most economical from his lot. In reply, the Men in Blue also began nervously, losing four for 65 by the 19th. However, Shreyas Iyer (82) and Axar Patel (56) put on 107 for the fifth wicket to keep India in the chase.

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As Iyer brought up his 13th ODI half-century, off-spinner Mehidy dismissed him in the 35th, followed by Axar in the 39th to pacer Ebadot Hossain 17 runs later after the latter struck his maiden ODI 50. While it was 213/8 in the 46th, skipper Rohit Sharma came in, as a finger injury while fielding forced him not to take the field or to come out to bat initially.

While Rohit played a quickfire knock of an unbeaten 51, it all came down to 20 off the final six balls. Pacer Mustafizur Rahman did well to restrict the six runs needed off the last delivery, whereas his maiden over (48th) to Mohammed Siraj played a crucial role in the success, as Bangladesh scripted history. As for its bowlers, Hossain grabbed three, while orthodox spinner Shakib was economical.
Brief scores: BAN 271/7 (Mahmudullah- 77, Mamudullah- 100; Sundar- 3/37) defeated IND 266/9 (Iyer- 82, Patel- 56, Rohit- 51*; Hossain- 3/45) by five runs.

Last Updated Dec 7, 2022, 8:19 PM IST