India Vs Bangladesh played at SBNCS Dhaka on 24 February 2016 India 166/6 (Rohit Sharma 83, HH Pandya 31, Al-Amin Hossain 3/37) beat Bangladesh 121/7 (Sabbir Rahman 44, Ashish Nehra 3/23) Player of the Match: RG Sharma (India)
DHAKA: Red hot favorite India beating aspirant Bangladesh by 45 runs in the opening match of Asia Cup 2016 played for the first time in T20 format taught Bangladesh lesson of playing the format.
Bangladesh made at least three visible mistakes in the match which made them look pretty ordinary at the end of the days play. Selection of Mithun ahead of experienced quality player Nasir Hossain, letting Mithun open in a difficult chase against strong opposition and Shakib dropping rollicking Rohit at a crunch time of the match must come up in the post-match analysis.
Put into bat first on a greenish track, India were struggling against four prong pace attack at 4/97 at 15th over. Dhawan, Kohli, Raina, Yuvraj were all gone. If Rohit did not get the reprieve Bangladesh could be chasing 125-130 Mashrafe could have let Shakib bowl his full quota instead of himself bowling a very costly 4th over which let the control lost. Bangladesh conceded 60 runs between 16-19th overs when Rohit and Pandya plundered 61 runs in 27 deliveries.
A target of 167-run set by India was way too many for Bangladesh still learning primary lessons of international T20. Bangladesh should have let their better quality experienced professionals Kayes, Shakib, Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah bat higher at the chase instead of gambling with rookie Mithun. None but Sabbir could stand the pressure of Indians sensing victory very early. Home team could huff and puff to 121/7 in allotted overs. 45 runs defeat in a T20 match is a huge margin. Taking no credit away from brilliant Indians it must be said Bangladesh was at least 80 percent responsible for their miserable plight. Team management and captain Mashrafe made so many mistakes.
Sending India to bat on a lively wicket was a right decision. Bangladesh appeared with four pacers. Cutter specialist Mustafiz had an off day in the office or Indian batsmen could work him out. Yet he bowled few great deliveries. Mashrafe got the all-important wicket of Kohli. But otherwise Mustafiz and Mashrafe in their 8 overs conceded 80 runs which took the game away from Bangladesh on a difficult wicket. Shakib and Mahmudullah were not bowling badly. In 5 overs in between them they conceded only 24 runs yet neither bowled full quota. We hope Mashrafe has answers for these.
Bangladesh lost the momentum in the 15-19 overs of Indian Innings. The score should have been restricted to 120-125. Then it could be a different ball game. Once India raced to 166/7 still after Al-Amin bowling a brilliant last over the fate of Bangladesh was well cut out.
Why Mithun was sent to open the Innings? Why he was in the team at all? Has Nasir gone out of grace? Is Bangladesh still experimenting? In such a difficult chase Mushfiqur batted at 6 and Mahmudullah at 7 when match was all but lost.
Rohit is one the top three leading batsman in the world now. Especially in limited over format he is neo-Bradman. Letting him play on second life is running to fire for any team. He smashed Bangladesh bowlers all over the park plundering in his 55-ball 83 which stood out as the rocky mountain in front of Bangladesh. Young Pandya was his allay in destruction striking 31 of only 18. Al-Amin removed both in the last over otherwise India could reach still more formidable score of 180.
Still Bangladesh can take few positives. Al-Amin bowled reasonably well pitching on a right length and moving the ball. His 3/37 was by far the best bowling effort for Bangladesh. Sabbir batted well for his 44. Other than him, all looked pretty ordinary. Bangladesh did not appear to have any game plan while they chased. They could have gone down fighting. But they died wondering in the match. For the Indians veteran Nehra was the pick of the bowler with 3/23.
Bangladesh looked broken unit. If Bangladesh cannot improve a lot soon they may even struggle against UAE. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are not less strong sides.
Bangladesh was defeated and disgraced. There can be glory in defeat. But Bangladesh had miseries in the match only. A team cannot win against a stronger team making so many silly mistakes in one match. Hope Bangladesh learns lessons from mistakes and pulls up their socks.
BDST: 0924 HRS, FEB 25, 2016
SR
** India beat Bangladesh by 45-run
