Bangladesh set 128-run target for India

The highest partnership in the Bangladesh innings in the first Twenty20 international against India was of 26 runs between captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy.

The two batters’ 27-ball partnership, however, was unlike a T20 match. The second best partnership was of 23 runs off 21-ball between Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed.

It was Mehidy Hasan Miraz who managed to score some runs. He amassed an unbeaten 35 off 32 with the help of three 4’s.

Bangladesh managed to score a meagre 127 runs in 19.5 overs after being asked to bat first at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Gwalior Sunday.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (27 off 25) was the other batter who could score a few runs.

Indian bowlers strangled the Bangladesh batters from the word go. They gave away just 24 runs in the first four overs picking up the two openers.

Litton Das was the first to go in the very first over immediately after hitting a 4 off Arshdeep Singh.

The other opener Parvez Hossain Emon (8 off 9), who was picked up after one year, could not do justice to his selection. He looked promising with a 6 but perished early. This time also the bowler was Arshdeep Singh.

When Bangladesh were looking to impose themselves, hitting 15 runs off Varun Chakravarthy in the 5th over, the pace was stalled by the pacey Mayank Yadav in the next over with a maiden.

Towhid Hridoy was looking like a fish out of water in front of the speedster. The pressure piled up on him and he perished to that in the very next over at the ball of Varun Chakravarthy.  Fastman Mayank Yadav forced experienced Mahmudullah to play a false shot on the offside in the next over as he could last only two balls.

Jaker Ali (8 off 6), Rishad Hossain (11 off 5), Taskin Ahmed (12 off 13), Shoriful (0 off 2) and Mustafizur Rahman (1 off 5) followed the suit.

The only shining moment for the visitors was the Mayank Yadav over faced by Rishad Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. They took 15 runs with two 4’s and a 6. The shots were proper cricketing shots from middle of the blade.

Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy were the pick of the bowlers with three wickets each while Hardik Pandya, Mayank Yadav and Washington Sundar took apiece.