India 140/4 (S Dhawan 55, SK Raina28, MK Pandey 27*, Rubel Hossian 2/29) beat Bangladesh 139/8 (Liton K Das 34, Sabbir Rahman 30, Mushfiqur Rahim 18, Tamim Iqbal 15, Unadkat 3/38, Vijay Shankar 2/31)
Put into bat a clueless Tiger squad looked panicked and weary. They batted giving impression that they had to catch a plane for going home and were getting late.
Novice batting by top order let create as many as five opportunities for Indian fielders sending Soumya, Tamim and Lion back in the first 5 overs. But none were taken. Yet Bangladesh failed to capitalize. Very unprofessional Bangladesh managed scoring a below par 139/8 in allotted overs against depleted Indian bowling attack. It was about 30 runs too less to test India.
Indian batsmen calmly went about and clinically dispatched Bangladesh by 6 wickets scoring 140/6 in 18.4 overs. With Sri Lanka winning the first match against India Bangladesh will have a do or die match against the host tomorrow. Win they stay lose they should start packing for home getting early flight as they would not get back into the tournament from there on. It was 13th T20 international match loss in the last 14 matches. Bangladesh played like a novice against less than half strength India.
How can any analyst explain Bangladesh batting? Sent into bat on a wicket looking like batting paradise Bangladeshi batsmen had no match planning. Perhaps both Tamim and Soumya tried to emulate Kushal Pererra of the first match without having any feel of the wicket. Soumya could be gone on the last ball of the very first over of Unadkat when three Indian fielders rushing for the catch at third ball spilled it. He did not last long. He struck a six of Unadkat third over and the very next ball was caught in the short fine leg. This blue eyed boy of BCB kept wasting the huge investment made on him.
Experienced Tamim could have anchored the innings but he too appeared restless. After being dropped in the fourth over off Washington Sundar he got out to Shardul. Liton had a charmed life getting dropped twice in the same over off debutant bowler Vijay Shankar. He too could not capitalize getting out after scoring 34. Mushfiq gave some indications of positivity striking a six and a four. But he too appeared in a hurry throwing away his wicket for 18. Mahmudullah came and went being the second victim of Shankar. Sabbir was given a life of the bowling of Shankar when he himself failed to gram a return catch. He could not extend his innings beyond 30. Bangladesh could manage 139/8. In any consideration against still powerful Indian batting it was well below par score. Nothing below 170 appeared competitive.
Any Indian team is too professional not panicking. They went very colly about their task. Though Rohit Sharma and RR Pant were removed by Mustafiz and Rubel within 40 runs Dhawan and Raina calmly rolled on. Dhawan continued his prolific form from South Africa tour secoring his second consecutive fifty (55). When Raina and Dhawan left their task was almost done. Pandey had some knocking around. India bounced back after a shocking first match defeat.
The fate of Bangladesh is almost carved out. It won’t be easy from here getting back into the tournament. A team which can not capitalize 5 dropped catches in a T 20 match must not dream of moving ahead in a tournament. The Bangladesh team in present state look miserably out of shorts. Only Miracle can let them win even any match of the tournament. Wonder what BCB President and blue eyed boy of Bangladesh Cricket Khaled Mahmood are doing in Colombo?
BDST: 1016 HRS, MAR 9, 2018
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