India v Bangladesh
Wisden's review of India v Bangladesh
R Kaushik
15-Apr-2017
At Bangalore, March 23, 2016 (floodlit). India won by one run. Toss: Bangladesh.
Years from now, Bangladesh will wonder how they allowed this match to get away. After restricting India's strong batting line-up to 146, they came within two runs of victory, only to lose wickets off the last three deliveries of the match, and fuel India's semi-final hopes. In a scrappy, error-prone encounter on a surface that changed considerably as the game progressed, the Bangladeshis had looked in control almost throughout. However, in Pandya's last over - which began with 11 needed - Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, both vastly experienced, holed out in the deep when the requirement had come down to two from three balls. Then Dhoni completed a remarkable victory by sprinting up from behind the stumps to run out Mustafizur Rahman, trying to pinch a bye. India's total on a drying track was built around small contributions down the order, but there was no late flourish. Tamim Iqbal, dropped twice and the beneficiary of many a misfield, pepped up the chase with four fours in one Bumrah over. Bangladesh batted with intent to keep the target well in sight, and boundaries by Mushfiqur off the second and third balls of the last over seemed to have sealed the deal - but his clenched-fist celebrations came too soon, preceding a brain freeze which allowed India to escape to victory.
Man of the Match: R. Ashwin.
Years from now, Bangladesh will wonder how they allowed this match to get away. After restricting India's strong batting line-up to 146, they came within two runs of victory, only to lose wickets off the last three deliveries of the match, and fuel India's semi-final hopes. In a scrappy, error-prone encounter on a surface that changed considerably as the game progressed, the Bangladeshis had looked in control almost throughout. However, in Pandya's last over - which began with 11 needed - Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, both vastly experienced, holed out in the deep when the requirement had come down to two from three balls. Then Dhoni completed a remarkable victory by sprinting up from behind the stumps to run out Mustafizur Rahman, trying to pinch a bye. India's total on a drying track was built around small contributions down the order, but there was no late flourish. Tamim Iqbal, dropped twice and the beneficiary of many a misfield, pepped up the chase with four fours in one Bumrah over. Bangladesh batted with intent to keep the target well in sight, and boundaries by Mushfiqur off the second and third balls of the last over seemed to have sealed the deal - but his clenched-fist celebrations came too soon, preceding a brain freeze which allowed India to escape to victory.
Man of the Match: R. Ashwin.