India trounce Bangladesh in the World Cup
Bangladesh expected a fight against India but in the end the only interest remained whether Virat Kohli may reach the century as the result of the match became inevitable long ago.
At the end of the 38th over India were on 229-3 needing 28 more and Kohli was 27 away from his century.
He just toyed with the bowlers in next three overs and at the end of the 41th the equation became- India two and Kohli needs three. The right hander conceded two dot balls before hitting a big six over the deep midwicket to reach his ton and navigate his side home.
Such was the one-sided nature of the World Cup match at Pune on Thursday where Bangladesh were comprehensively beaten by seven wickets. After making a winning start against Afghanistan, Bangladesh have now lost to England, New Zealand and India.
Bangladesh got bad news in the morning as they had to take the field without their skipper Shakib Al Hasan but their openers made a solid start after stand-in skipper Najmul Hasan won the toss.
After a record breaking 93-run opening stand, Bangladesh lost the way in the middle before Mahmudullah played a late cameo to help his side post 256-9.
Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan were very careful initially as they scored just ten runs off the first five overs. But they started accelerating and added 53 runs in next five overs without losing any wicket.
Tanzid, who struggled in the first three matches, reached his fifty in the 14th over and the pair scored the highest ever opening stand in World Cups for Bangladesh. Mehrab Hossain and Shahriar Hossain formed a 69-run stand during Bangladesh’s historic win against Pakistan back in 1999.
But Tanzim was trapped in front by Kuldeep Yadav in the next over scoring 51 off 43 when the score was 93.
Ravindra Jadeja got rid of Najmul Hossain in the same fashion for eight when the score was 110. Bangladesh decided to send Mehidy Hasan Miraz and he got out for just three leaving the side on 129-3.
The loss of wickets in the other end might create pressure on Litton and he decided to play a rash shot. The right-hander who seemed to return in form tried to whack Kuldeep over the long-off boundary to be caught by Shubman Gill. Litton scored 66 off 82 and Bangladesh reduced to 137-4 in the 28th over.
Towhid Hridoy struggled from the beginning and his woes came to an end as he got out for 16 off 35. Mushfiqur Rahim was steadying the ship and navigated the side past 200-run mark. But his 38-run innings came to an end when Jadeja held a blinder with full stretched diving at the backward point off Bumrah delivery.
Bumrah got rid of Mahmudullah with a perfect yorker in the second ball of the last over but by then he made 46 off just 36 balls and in the last ball Shoriful Islam struck a six to end the innings on 256 that proved absolutely inadequate.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma started with a blitz before he was held in the midwicket boundary for 48 by Towhid off the bowling of Hasan Mahmud. Bangladesh got the breakthrough but that over, 13th in the innings Mahmud conceded 23.
He gave Kohli the dream opportunities that even the batting great was astonished.
“It was a dream start for me, first four balls, two free-hits, a six and a four. Just calms you down gets you into the innings,” said the player of the Kohli after the match.
Bangladesh had no chance from then on to defend the small total as Kohli took complete control.
Miraz got rid of Gill for 53 and Shreyas Iyer for 19 just to reduce the margin. Rahul remained not out for 34 and made sure India pick up their fourth wicket in their fourth match of the tournament.