Big-hitting India set Bangladesh target of 197
An all-round batting display helped India notch up a total of 196-5 on the board against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound.
Four Indian batters scored 30-plus at a good scoring rate. For Bangladesh, Tanzim Hasan Sakib (two for 32) and Rishad Hossain (two for 43) picked up two each but the economy rate of the latter (14.33) was on the higher side.
Rohit Sharma took down Shakib Al Hasan early to give India a rollicking start with the bat.
Shakib had the last laugh in the end but the Indian skipper struck two fours and a six off the Bangladesh all-rounder to take advantage of the field restrictions.
Rohit made an aggressive 23 off 11 deliveries.
Despite Rohit’s dismissal, his partner Virat Kohli continued to play his natural game, running hard and picking up boundaries.
Kohli hit three sixes – one each off Shakib, Rishad Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman – and looked in superb touch before Tanzim Hasan Sakib returned to clean him up.
The Indian master was flummoxed by an off-cutter from Tanzim as he completely missed the line after skipping down the wicket.
Kohli scored 37 off 28.
One brought two for the right-arm seamer as he banged the pitch and got the ball to take off and kiss Suryakumar Yadav’s glove on the way after being hit for a six.
But Rishabh Pant, the other unorthodox batter of the side, punished Mustafizur and Rishad in his attacking 36 off 24. Rishad exacted revenge soon as Pant reverse-swept the ball straight to Tanzim at third man.
India were slightly on the back foot at 108-4 in the 12th over but Shivam Dube (34 off 24) and Hardik Pandya added a crucial 53 off 34 to keep the scoreboard moving.
Dube hit three sixes in his important knock coming in at number five.
Hardik was excellent against both pace and spin in his brutal unbeaten 27-ball-50.
India scored 62 in the final five overs as Bangladesh death bowlers mostly failed to keep the big-hitters quiet.
