India v Bangladesh
Wisden's review of the second Quarter-Final, India v Bangladesh
15-Apr-2016
At Melbourne, March 19, 2015 (day/night). India won by 109 runs. Toss: India.
Bangladesh's big adventure came to a predictable end as India maintained their 100% tournament record. The Bangla Army joked beforehand that their side had won both their previous one-day internationals against India in the month of March - one at the 2007 World Cup - but the only time the hat-trick seemed possible was while India rebuilt after losing both openers in quick succession. The slippery Rubel Hossain started with 6-0-14-1, Kohli edging an expansive drive; and when Rahane was out in the 28th over the rate was fractionally above four. But Raina muscled 65 from 57 balls, and Rohit Sharma took advantage of a controversial let-off: when 90, he swung Rubel's high full toss to Imrul Kayes at deep midwicket, but Aleem Dar deemed it an above-the-waist noball. Dar's call was marginal, and Sharma advanced to 137, spoiling Rubel's figures with a six and two luscious fours in his ninth over, before he played on to the persistent Taskin Ahmed. India's eventual 302 always looked enough: Tamim Iqbal started brightly but, the ball after he was well caught by Dhoni, diving low to his left, Kayes tried to pinch a single from Jadeja's misfield and was run out. Mahmudullah, fresh from back-to-back centuries, was well held by Dhawan, tap-dancing perilously close to the boundary (the third official upheld the catch, fuelling Bangladeshi conspiracy theories about the umpiring). India's spinners exerted even more of a stranglehold - Ashwin whirred through his ten overs for 30 - and the game was up when Shakib Al Hasan sliced tamely to short third man. The last four wickets tumbled in 13 balls, as India claimed all ten for the seventh match in a row to complete Dhoni's 100th victory as one-day captain; only Allan Border and Ricky Ponting had more. STEVEN LYNCH
Man of the Match: R. G. Sharma.
Bangladesh's big adventure came to a predictable end as India maintained their 100% tournament record. The Bangla Army joked beforehand that their side had won both their previous one-day internationals against India in the month of March - one at the 2007 World Cup - but the only time the hat-trick seemed possible was while India rebuilt after losing both openers in quick succession. The slippery Rubel Hossain started with 6-0-14-1, Kohli edging an expansive drive; and when Rahane was out in the 28th over the rate was fractionally above four. But Raina muscled 65 from 57 balls, and Rohit Sharma took advantage of a controversial let-off: when 90, he swung Rubel's high full toss to Imrul Kayes at deep midwicket, but Aleem Dar deemed it an above-the-waist noball. Dar's call was marginal, and Sharma advanced to 137, spoiling Rubel's figures with a six and two luscious fours in his ninth over, before he played on to the persistent Taskin Ahmed. India's eventual 302 always looked enough: Tamim Iqbal started brightly but, the ball after he was well caught by Dhoni, diving low to his left, Kayes tried to pinch a single from Jadeja's misfield and was run out. Mahmudullah, fresh from back-to-back centuries, was well held by Dhawan, tap-dancing perilously close to the boundary (the third official upheld the catch, fuelling Bangladeshi conspiracy theories about the umpiring). India's spinners exerted even more of a stranglehold - Ashwin whirred through his ten overs for 30 - and the game was up when Shakib Al Hasan sliced tamely to short third man. The last four wickets tumbled in 13 balls, as India claimed all ten for the seventh match in a row to complete Dhoni's 100th victory as one-day captain; only Allan Border and Ricky Ponting had more. STEVEN LYNCH
Man of the Match: R. G. Sharma.