That is all from us now. The OBO will, like James Bond be back on Friday for Australia v Pakistan. Join us then.
Dhoni is asked what they discussed before the final ball. “Don’t bowl a yorker. It had to be back of a length. His execution was excellent.”
We have a match report! More to follow.
MS Dhoni: “The decision what was line and length to bowl. To bowl yorkers and work out what the batsmen’s strength and weaknesses were. I knew once it got to the 20th over I couldn’t be fined so I could take my time.”
He refuses to criticise the Bangladeshi batsmen for going for sixes at the end: “If that goes for six it’s a great shot.” He also praises Bumrah for keeping his nerve in his final two overs.
Mashrafe is asked when the match swung in India’s favour: “The last three balls. We needed two runs with three balls left.”
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Here’s what the man of the match, Ravi Ashwin, had to say: “We never really got together and worried so much. I don’t have anything left. I’m drained after today’s game. I’ll just crash now. He had put down a catch, he was 2 overs for 22, he was down, but Bumrah came back for us. I probably gave him a cheeky idea to try a mankad in the end. We might have taken flak, but why not. We have not probably batted well. Today, we are not real contenders for the tournament, but if it improves we will be. I felt when Tamim’s sweep in the air I thought we were in control, but when he put it down, later on I put one down. I had so much of emotions going through. But for the team to go all the way is what’s important”
No wait, I’m still here. I’ll be bringing you reaction as soon as I’ve had a cup of tea.
India win by one run!
What a finish that was. Bangladesh needed two runs from their final three balls with four wickets in hand and contrived to lose from there. And lose they did, for the two balls that took wickets seven and eight were a long-hop and a rank full-toss that had the batsmen’s eyes lighting up before they threw their wickets straight down the throat of Dhawan in the deep.
India win by a solitary run and so they stay alive in the tournament. They’re now up against Pakistan and Australia for one spot in the semi-final. This is all a bit exciting now, isn’t it?
Thanks for reading and thanks to Tom Davies for essentially OBOing three sessions of cricket today then leaving the good bit to me. Bye!
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Wicket! Mustafizur run out 0
19.6 overs: Bangladesh 145-9 (Shuvagata 0) 2 to win He’s a foot or so short!
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Third umpire
One ball left. Two runs to win it for Bangladesh and you have to say that, if they don’t get there, they blew it with those two aerial shots in the last two balls. Shuvagata facing his first ball. Dhoni has his right glove off ready to throw. It’s through to the keeper and they go through for a bye, Dhoni runs in with the ball and breaks the stumps! We’re going to the third umpire...
Wicket! Mahmadullah c Dhawan b Pandya 18
19.5 overs: Bangladesh 145-8 (Shuvagata 0) 2 to win Two from two needed, Mahmadullah back on strike as the batsmen crossed. Full toss, slapped up high in the air going for the big hit and Dhawan is under it again!
Also I got the scores a bit mixed up earlier in this over amid the excitement. Sorry.
Wicket! Mushfiqur c Dhawan b Pandya 11
19.4 overs: Bangladesh 145-7 (Mahmadullah 21) 2 to win Short, scooped away in the air and Dhawan takes it comfortably at deep midwicket!
19.3 overs: Bangladesh 145-6 (Mushfiqur 11, Mahmadullah 21) 2 to win Short, Mushfiqur scoops and gets it over is stumps and shooting away past Dhoni for four more!
19.2 overs: Bangladesh 141-6 (Mushfiqur 7, Mahmadullah 18) 6 to win A long-hop outside off and Mushfiqur slashes it through cover for four!
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19.1 overs: Bangladesh 137-6 (Mushfiqur 3, Mahmadullah 18) 10 to win Full and guided out to Jadeja at deep point for just one.
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Pandya will bowl the final over.
19th over: Bangladesh 136-6 (Mushfiqur 3, Mahmadullah 17) target 147 You’d think that India need a wicket or two if they’re to win this. 17 from 12 needed for Bangladesh, playing against India in India for the first time in 18 years. Bumrah, whose consistent yorkers in the 17th over were outstanding, needs something similar here. Mahmadullah tries the lap-sweep and sends it straight to Nehra but the fielder misses with his shy at the stumps. 15 from 10 needed. A direct hit from mid-off but I think Mushfiqur, running to the non-striker’s end, was home. Yep he’s safe by just six inches or so. The decision on the big screen is met with stony silence from the crowd. More crucially for Bangladesh, it adds a single to the total. The next two are worked out into the deep on the off-side but again they only get ones. Last ball of the over and it’s chipped back down the ground for just the one more. Excellent over from Bumrah and, with 11 needed from the last, we’re going ball-by-ball.
18th over: Bangladesh 130-6 (Mushfiqur 0, Mahmadullah 13) target 147 Nehra starts with a yorker, which seems like a good plan when your side has 18 balls and 27 runs to defend. A bad idea would be something like a rib-high long-hop that Soumya can swish wide of the midwicket fielder and away for four. Which, coincidentally, is exactly what happened on ball two. A single brings the right-handed Mahmadullah on strike so Nehra comes round the wicket and is picked off to mid-on for one more. The fifth ball though brings the end of Soumya for a run-a-ball 21. It was a rubbish ball but it might well have made India the favourites from here! Although the final ball, another low full-toss outside off this time, is creamed splendidly through extra cover for four!
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Wicket! Soumya c Kohli b Nehra 21
IPL flashback time: it’s a low full-toss caught on the long-on boundary!
17th over: Bangladesh 120-5 (Soumya 16, Mahmadullah 9), target 147 Bumrah, who took some tap earlier – none for 19 from his two so far – returns. Soumya nudges the first ball to midwicket for two before the sound on the coverage drops out. He adds one more, digging out a full one and guiding it nicely down to deep backward point. This is decent stuff from Bumrah and he forces Mahmadullah to dig out a fine yorker. The sound returns. He goes too full next but a very good diving stop at backward point by Yuvraj Singh turns four into two. Another yorker from ball five and another single out to midwicket. Will Soumya be tempted to take a big risk here? No it’s another yorker that’s dug out, run past off stump and Dhoni drops it diving to his right and letting it go as his elbow hit the ground. Seven off that over.
16th over: Bangladesh 113-5 (Soumya 12, Mahmadullah 6), target 147 Soumya top-edges a hard sweep at Jadeja’s final ball and sends it sailing over backward square leg for six! The next one is straight and pushed across him from round the wicket; Dhoni goes up and well he might – it’s come very fine off the face of the bat I think – but the umpire says no. There was barely a noise even with the stump mic turned up and Snicko has nothing, but there was something and it did look to take the tiniest of deflections. Three more singles from the over and Jadeja finishes with two for 22.
15th over: Bangladesh 104-5 (Soumya 4, Mahmadullah 5), target 147 Nehra returns for his third over and an edged single brings Mahmadullah – from whom a repeat of his 29-ball 49 against Australia would go down nicely for Bangladesh – on strike. One more single and a leg-bye, then Mahmadullah goes hard with a cut but mistimes it and only gets one for that. At the moment they only need eight an over but a boundary wouldn’t go amiss for Bangladesh here. Jadeja denies them one with a brilliant diving one-handed stop at backward point.
“Afternoon Dan.” Afternoon, Simon McMahon. “Never mind the glory overs, what about a SUPER OVER??!! Bangladesh and Afghanistan have been great to watch this tournament, as have the other associate nations. The ICC will be making sure there’s plenty more chances for them in future tournaments. Right?”
Yes the ICC is very keen to expand the game by making sure thrashings like today’s don’t even happen again.
14th over: Bangladesh 99-5 (Soumya 2, Mahmadullah 3), target 147 Jadeja continues into his third and well he might as the ball is doing strange, scary things off the pitch. He goes up for lbw first ball after getting one to turn back into the left-hander viciously from round the wicket. Too high but that was a flat delivery that spat back off the pitch. Soumya gets away from the danger zone with a clumped single out to midwicket. Mahmadullah gets a couple but just three come from the over.
13th over: Bangladesh 96-5 (Soumya 1, Mahmadullah 1), target 147 Dhoni turns back to Ashwin and is rewarded with the wicket first ball! Soumya Sharkar is the next man in and he’s an inch or two away from succumbing to the same fate of his predecessor twice: beaten by his first and third balls. And fourth! This is absolutely brilliant bowling from Ashwin who may well have swung this match back in India’s favour. Ashwin comes over the wicket for the last ball and is driven to mid-off for a single. One for one from that over and he finishes with two for 20.
Wicket! Shakib c Raina b Ashwin 22
Huge wicket! Shakib, who was looking so dangerous, prods forward at one that turns away from the left-hander and nicks it through to Raina at slip!
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12th over: Bangladesh 95-4 (Shakib 22, Mahmadullah 1), target 147 Mashrafe goes first ball for six from five. Probably not exactly what they had in mind when promoting him up the order, but the in-form Mahmadullah is a more than handy replacement. He’s away with a gently push to cover. There’s nothing gentle about the next shot though, an absolute mow, slog-swept over midwicket for another six. The stadium is absolutely silent as he turns the next one round the corner for one.
Wicket! Mashrafe b Jadedja 6
Mashrafe backs away, looking to lift it over mid-off. He connects with nought but Bangalore air and Jadeja’s skiddy delivery skids into middle stump!
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11th over: Bangladesh 87-3 (Shakib 15, Mashrafe 6), target 147 Cheers Tom. Dan Lucas is in now for the glory overs of what looks like being a fascinating match. Emails to dan.lucas@theguardian.com or tweets to @DanLucas86. Shakib takes two before Pandya is warned for running on the wicket, then another bad drop! Ashwin comes running in towards Shakib’s hard uppercut, gets there comfortably but spills it to the turf. They take a single. They attempt a leg-bye from the next ball and a direct hit brings another third umpire review but Shakib, coming into the striker’s end, was a good three feet home. He celebrates by getting out the five iron and lifting with wonderful timing over mid-on for six!
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10th over: Bangladesh 77-3 (Shakib 6, Mashrafe 6), target 147
Jadeja is held back for now, with Raina coming into the attack. Shakib works him away on the onside for one. Dhoni then undertakes a notably unexcited stumping appeal after Shabbir plays and misses outside legstump, but it’s reviewed nonetheless. AND WELL IT MIGHT BE – Shabbir’s foot is in the air at the time the bails are broken. He’s a goner. That was nimble, clever work by Dhoni. Mashrafe is the new man in, signalling an intention to go for it. And go for it he does, belting his second ball down the ground for SIX. Interesting times. And those interesting times will be taken up now by my man Dan Lucas, who will guide you through to the end. Thanks for reading. And stay tuned.
Wicket! Shabbir st Dhoni b Raina 26, Bangladesh 69-3
Big wicket. Dhoni barely appeals for a stumping after Shabbir plays and misses – but reviews show his feet in the air and bat ungrounded as the bails are broken. So he’s out.
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9th over: Bangladesh 67-2 (Shabbir 26, Shakib 4), target 147
Shakib takes a smartly-run two off new bowler Pandya with nothing more than a soft dab on the legside off his hips, but looks much much less elegant with his next shot, an ugly hack and miss at a wide ball outside off stump. He then adds a single to put Shabbir on strike, whom they target with short stuff to which he can sometimes be susceptible, but he top edges past the keeper for four and, to celebrate, blind-slogs at a fuller delivery and it too is edged to the boundary behind the keeper. Not pretty, but effective.
8th over: Bangladesh 56-2 (Shabbir 18, Shakib 1), target 147
Jadeja comes on to give us spin at both ends, for the time being, and he finds plenty of turn too. Tamim glides away backward of square on the offside for a single. Another one follows but Tamim’s luck runs out when he’s beaten in the flight by a quicker ball, coming down the track, and is stumped. Shakib is off the mark with a single. This game is right back in the balance.
Wicket! Tamim st Dhoni b Jadeja 35, India 55-2
This could be a big scalp. Tamim charges down the pitch at the spinner, is beaten, and gives the keeper an easy stumping.
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7th over: Bangladesh 53-1 (Tamim 34, Shabbir 18), target 147
Ashwin looks the bowler most likely to exert control here, by a long way. But he only has one over remaining after this one, and even he can be milked for boundaries, as Shabbir shoes with a slightly mishit reverse sweep that nonetheless races to the boundary at third man for four. Singles then ensue, Tamim keeping the strike with a single off the last ball.
6th over: Bangladesh 45-1 (Tamim 32, Shabbir 12), target 147
Torment for India. Tamim cracks Bumrah – the man who’s just dropped him – for four first up. Revelling in his reprieve, he picks the bowler’s off-cutter and lashes it over the top for another boundary. Yuvraj stops a certain four more with an excellent instinctive one-handed stop at point. But four more behind the stumps follow. A better boundary shot completes the powerplay – Tamim charging down the pitch and belting it between the fielders at mid-off and extra-cover and it races to the ropes.
Of course, Bangladesh have to win this; India could lose and survive, if other permutations go their way.
5th over: Bangladesh 29-1 (Tamim 16, Shabbir 12), target 147
Tamim hits against Ashwin’s spin to mid-on for a single before Shabbir works a similar shot away for one more. Before a terrible drop! And of the dangerous Tamim too! The left-hander mistimed his sweep totally, it looped up high and was spilled horribly by Bumrah, committing his second clanger in the field of the innings. Shabbir rams home Bangladesh’s advantage by larruping the final ball of the over over wide long-on for six.
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4th over: Bangladesh 20-1 (Tamim 14, Shabbir 5), target 147
Nehra swaps ends, and concedes three when a rash direct hit when the batsman’s home deflects 40 yards off the stumps and enables Bangladesh to take an extra run. Tamim pulls to deep midwicket for two more, and then gets another single with an identical shot. Most of the runs in this over come on the legside, the last of which is another flick behind square by Tamim for a single.
3rd over: Bangladesh 12-1 (Tamim 10, Shabbir 1), target 147
India introduce spin early, as expected, through Ashwin. Tamim plays him away nicely off the back foot on the legside for a single before Mithun falls, holing out to long-on. Shabbir is off the mark first ball, watching the ball onto the bat and deflecting it on the legside for a single. Ashwin, round the wicket at the left-hander, torments Tamim with two rippers in succession that turn past his outside edge, before the batsman gets forward early to smother the spin on the final ball of the over, which has been a terrific one.
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Wicket! Mithun c Pandya b Ashwin 1, Bangladesh 11-1
Ashwin strikes early! Mithun goes for the big hit over long-on but hasn’t quite found the distance and Pandya takes it fairly comfortably above his head.
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2nd over: Bangladesh 10-0 (Tamim 9, Mithun 1), target 147
Bumrah opens from the other end, and accurately, his first ball being speared into the left-handed Tamim who can only offer a forward-defensive for no run. That’s not really Tamim’s style though, and he charges down the track next ball but the bowler saw him coming and forces him to just belt it into the ground and up again for another dot. A quick single follows, but this is a really good over, and an inside edge behind square on the legside is the only way Mithun’s able to get off the mark. Tamim edges the final ball of the over to third man for one more.
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1st over: Bangladesh 7-0 (Tamim 7, Mithun 0), target 147
The veteran/evergreen Ashish Nehra opens the bowling for India, and is let down by his fielders straight away, as Mithun clips him away to the square leg boundary and it goes straight through Bumrah’s hands for four. What should be the perfect start, however, is anything but as Tamim crashes into Nehra as he’s running up the track and needs treatment – it looks as if he’s inadvertently rammed his head straight into the bowler. He gets up again though after a couple of minutes on the deck, and is given an impressive hurry-up by a lovely shaped away-swinger from Nehra that beats him all ends up. A mistimed pull from a quicker ball then brings two to long on, before Nehra records, technically, a drop after Tamim belts the ball straight at his forearm. It’s rebounded off the bowler before he can think about wrapping his fingers round it. Seven from an over that offered encouragement for both sides.
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Some mid-match Ian Bell news for you: he’s inspired MCC to victory over Yorkshire in the ever-earlier season-opener played, for no healthy reason, in Abu Dhabi.
Some mid-match reading material for you: Geoff Lemon’s excellent travelogue from Dharamsala:
Well, Bangladesh were excellent there, though this match still looks wide open. There looks plenty in the conditions to encourage bowlers who perform as smartly as Mustafizur, Shakib or Shuvagata did there. Back in a bit.
Innings complete: India 146-7
20th over: India 146-7 (Dhoni 13, Ashwin 5)
Jadeja is castled from the first ball of the over, bringing in Ashwin, who’s off the mark straight away, puncturing a field brought in to prevent the strike changing hands by deflecting it subtly down to fine leg for four. An inside-edged single brings Dhoni to the strike with three balls remaining; the noise levels rise accordingly. He lashes a full toss over extra cover for two, but is foiled next ball, low and difficult and carved out only to the fielder at fine mid-off. A hastily scurried two completes the over and the innings, which saw a very accomplished display in the field from Bangladesh.
Wicket! Jadeja b Mustafizur 12, India 137-7
Jadeja plays all round a straight ball from the excellent Mustafizur, the first ball of the final over. He misses. The ball hits.
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19th over: India 137-6 (Dhoni 9, Jadeja 12)
As in the earlier game today, the 19th over of the first innings is a run-fest – will it be similarly decisive? Al-Amin ties down Dhoni with another fine yorker initially – another dot ball – but he then offers a bit of width, and Dhoni’s onto it like a man who’s not eaten for days and swivels himself almost 180 degrees in lashing it over extra cover for four. Bangladesh have to think here, and some field fine-tuning follows, before Al-Amin gets away with a rank full toss on legside that Dhoni can’t get hold of at all – it dribbles away for a mere leg-bye. The next full toss, a lower one, is punished though and Jadeja angles his bat and carves it square on the offside for four. The next one is too short though, and results in four more, well pulled square to the opposite boundary. Al-Amin changes angle, coming over the wicket, and Jadeja pulls to deep square leg but this time for only a single.
18th over: India 123-6 (Dhoni 5, Jadeja 3)
Mustafizur returns to the attack amid an ever-more tense atmosphere. Dhoni takes a single before Jadeja gets off the mark after driving a low full toss away on the offside and running two very smartly. An inswinging yorker pegs him back next ball though, a valuable dot, and Jadeja can eke out only one from the next ball, which is also full and at the stumps. Dhoni adds a single to take him to 1,000 T20 international runs, but Jadeja is then thwarted again by another brilliant inswinging yorker that he can only grub out.
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17th over: India 118-6 (Dhoni 3, Jadeja 0)
A new bowler, Mahmudullah, comes into the attack with only four overs remaining to have a try at the great finisher, Dhoni, who’s off the mark with just a single to long-on first up. Yuvraj chops square on the offside for one, as does Dhoni, but they’ll be looking for more than this. Mahmadullah’s tightness is rewarded when Yuvraj misjudges a sweep and is caught behind square. Dhoni takes a single, and the strike, with the last ball of the over.
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Wicket! Yuvraj c Al-Amin b Mahmudullah 3, India 117-6
Mahmudullah’s tucking them up nicely and gets his reward when Yuvraj miscues a ball behind square on the legside where Al-Amin takes a simple catch.
16th over: India 114-5 (Dhoni 0, Yuvraj 2)
There’s a lovely ebb and flow to this game now – batsmen trying to go for shots, bowlers trying out new plans – and getting breakthroughs, and how! Two wickets in two balls for Al-Amin send the pendulum swinging firmly back in Bangladesh’s direction. The hat-trick ball, however, is wayward and deftly nudged down to fine leg by Yuvraj, and a misfield by Moshrafe on the boundary gives him two. Yuvraj rustily plays and misses at three dot balls in a row to complete a brilliant over for Bangladesh.
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Wicket! Pandya c Sarkar b Al-Amin 15, India 112-5
Two in two! A sensational diving catch on the square-leg boundary by Soumya Sarkar sees off the dangerous Pandya.
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Wicket! Raina c Shabbir b Al-Amin 30, India 112-4
Raina’s 23-ball innings ends, as a mistimed pull goes straight down the throat of Shabbir.
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15th over: India 112-3 (Raina 30, Pandya 15)
Raina takes a single off Shakib, bowling his last over, before Pandya is cramped up nicely by the spinner and has to nudge a single rather than belt it further as is his natural inclination. He does a similar job on Raina, slanting one low and wide that the left-hander can only grub out square on the offside for one. Pandya makes a bit of a mess of Shakib’s hitherto economical figures with a fine straight drive for four after advancing down the track followed by a thwack over extra cover after meeting it before the bounce. Some fine cricket all round in that over.
14th over: India 101-3 (Raina 28, Pandya 6)
The worry for Bangladesh, well though they have performed in the field, is that India have plenty of batting still to come. Wickets would be more than handy now, and one comes, just as India begin to have a go. First, Raina straight-drives Shuvagata down the ground for four. He drives for one more which enables Kohli to find the boundary at last – a flat six over deep midwicket. Then he’s clean bowled, playing all round it, but new man Pandya doesn’t hang about, thumping the biggest six of the innings off his second ball to round off an eventful and expensive over.
Wicket! Kohli b Shuvagatar 24, India 95-3
Just as Kohli had finally hit a boundary, he perishes, hoicking at the spinner and completely missing.
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13th over: India 84-2 (Kohli 18, Raina 23)
Shakib returns to the attack, and is taken for two more singles before Raina blames his tools again and changes bat for a second time. Shakib is bowling really well and ties up Kohli with some excellent deliveries right into the blockhole that the batsman just can’t get hold of. Only five from an excellent over.
12th over: India 79-2 (Kohli 16, Raina 20)
Kohli has also changed his bat now, and forcibly drives Mashrafe off the back foot on the onside for two. A single brings Raina on strike, and he’s still not quite timing it, though he does add one more with a clip on the legside. Kohli takes one more with a drive down the ground before Mashrafe’s final ball of the innings is driven to backward point, where a great stop by Mithun prevents a run.
He’s now on 16, which makes it even more stat-tastic.
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11th over: India 73-2 (Kohli 12, Raina 18)
India step it up, by hook or by crook. Al-Amin rejoins the attack and Raina carves him over extra-cover, but only to the boundary fielder, so it’s a mere single. Then – a drop! Kohli miscues a pull and top-edges it straight and hard at the bowler, but Al-Amin’s right hand can only deflect it away rather than grip it. He and his team may rue that one. Not least because Raina’s heavier bat then plunders two SIXES, the first of which, though barely better timed, just clears the fielder on the square-leg boundary. The second is beautifully hit though, and sails into the crowd in more or less the same area. The crowd have perked up now.
10th over: India 59-2 (Kohli 11, Raina 5)
Raina swivels and pulls Mashrafe uppishly, and not particularly convincingly, square on the legside but it drops just before the fielder can meet it. They take one, as they also do from Kohli’s flashing off-drive. Raina’s struggling with the pace variation from Mashrafe and deflects a slower ball square on the legside but not where he meant it to go, for one more, before a crisp Kohli drive adds two. A dab down to third man brings a single before another mistimed drive nonetheless adds one more to the total. Quite a productive over for India really, considering the bowler looked on top throughout it. Raina has opted to change bats – perhaps for a heavier one – which might change things.
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9th over: India 52-2 (Kohli 7, Raina 2)
Shuvagata, who found extravagant turn at the start of the innings, returns at the opposite end. Raina picks up a single following a slight fumble at point from Mashrafe. The tightness of the bowling is forcing India to take risks, Kohli pinching a risky but ultimately well-run two after a clip on the legside – a direct hit would have done for Raina. Only three from the over.
8th over: India 49-2 (Kohli 5, Raina 1)
Mashrafe returns to the attack and his first ball is flicked off his hips with customary panache by Kohli for two. Another on-drive brings one but the three dot balls in this over keep Bangladeshi peckers up, only four from it in total. This match feels beautifully poised.
7th over: India 45-2 (Kohli 2, Raina 0)
Shakib gets a bowl at the new man Kohli, who’s off the mark third ball with an elegant cut square on the offside. Dhawan adds a single before Dhawan is snared lbw with the last ball of an excellent tight over. Quite a way to end the powerplay.
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Wicket! Dhawan lbw b Shakib 23, India 45-2
The left-arm spinner arrows one in at Dhawan, it hits him on the shin and the umpire doesn’t hesitate much in raising the finger. This has been a big couple of overs for Bangladesh.
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6th over: India 42-1 (Dhawan 22)
Bangladesh had been nice and economical in the first five overs but need a breakthrough – and they get it at the end of the least economical over thus far. The openers cut loose with a thumping flourish – Rohit hammers a half-volley over long-off for six, then, after another single, Dhawan joins in, punishing another fuller delivery with a lusty blow over long-on for six more. But Rohit over-reaches himself and mishits up in the air to give Shabbir a skyer to catch, which he does.
Breaking news: Taskin Ahmed’s suspension has been upheld – a blow for Bangladesh, who’ll feel more than a little miffed.
Wicket! Rohit c Shabbir b Mustafizur 18, India 42-1
After a more expensive over, Bangladesh make the breakthrough at the end of it as Rohit mistimes another slog and Shabbir pouches a catch at midwicket.
5th over: India 27-0 (Sharma 11, Dhawan 15)
Shakib comes into the attack. India almost toss a wicket away when Dhawan sets off needlessly and has to be sent back but the ball isn’t quite returned accurately enough at the bowler. Four singles follow, as Bangladesh’s well-placed deep fielders cut off boundaries.
“For what it’s worth,” writes Ravi Raman (it’s always worth something Ravi), “this is kinda late but you may find it interesting to know that both anthems were written by the same person, Tagore.” As someone ignorant of these matters, I’d actually like to know a lot more about the story beghind that and if we had Test-match-length time for diversionary rambles I would, but this is T20 and there’s no time to ponder and discuss.
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4th over: India 23-0 (Sharma 9, Dhawan 13)
Mustafizur replaces Shuvagata – is Mashrafe over-tinkering here? – though the left-arm quick undoubtedly carries a threat. He beats Dhawan for pace with one speared-in delivery that the batsman misses and sees it rap his thigh, before Dhawan flicks a single on the legside with one that’s a little less accurate. Sharma adds another before Dhawan survives an lbw appeal from another inswinger that raps him on the shin – it’s probably going down leg. Finally, Dhawan finds a ball to his liking – the last of the over – that’s dropped just a little too short and clubbed over midwicket for four.
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3rd over: India 17-0 (Sharma 8, Dhawan 8)
There’s an early change of bowling, with Al-Amin Hossain replacing Moshrafe. His first ball isn’t too wide, but it just offers Rohit enough room outside off-stump to drive square off the back foot for four. Another four well-run singles ensue – encouragingly self-confident strike-rotation from India’s openers.
For what it’s worth…
2nd over: India 9-0 (Sharma 2, Dhawan 6)
The spinner Shuvagata Hom opens up at the other end, offering contrast. He’s round the wicket at the left-handed Dhawan and finds sizeable turn straight away, ripping one past his outside edge. Shuvagata likes the look of this, but Dhawan will always fancy a shorter one, and duly thumps one such over midwicket for four. But other than that, a promising over.
1st over: India 5-0 (Sharma 2, Dhawan 2)
Mashrafe, the captain, opens the bowling, and Rohit cuts his first ball towards the boundary square on the offside where a fielder has been placed, so only one run accrues. The left-handed Dhawan is off the mark with a similar shot which has the same outcome. A wide down the legside follows before Rohit pushes for another one off the fourth legitimate ball. They’re happy to pick up ones in a low-key opening over, which, wide excepted, is tight and intelligent. India haven’t started particularly well in their two innings in the matches preceding this, so some caution might be understandable.
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The players come out for the anthems at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, one of those agreeable, cavernous old-school looking Asian cricket grounds, of the sort we grew up watching on TV. And also of course the venue for memorable-of-sorts England matches in the 2011 World Cup, the tie with India and the beating by Ireland. Average T20 scores here are over 180 so we can expect some hits and giggles. Bangladesh’s anthem is inordinately long, but performed with a certain hypnotic quality; India’s sung like a gentle children’s fable. Both observed impeccably. Onto the cricket...
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The teams
India are unchanged from the team that beat Pakistan, while Bangladesh make one change, Tamim Iqbal returning at the top of the order.
India: R Sharma, Dhawan, Kohli, Raina, Yuvraj, Dhoni (capt and wkt), Pandya, Jadeja, Ashwin, Nehra, Bumrah.
Bangladesh: Tamim, Mithun, Sabbir, Shakib, Soumya, Mahmudullah, Rahim (wkt), Shuvagata Hom, Mashrafe, Hossain, Mustafizur.
Bangladesh win the toss and bowl
Mashrafe reckons the ball will come on more nicely to the bat later on. So opts to bowl. MS Dhoni says he would have done likewise, his every word greeted with excited cheers in a swiftly-filling ground.
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Preamble
Afternoon/evening everyone. I’ve got a theory, based perhaps on little more than the whirrings of my fevered insomniac mind but a theory nonetheless, that 2007 was the most significant cricketing year of this millennium, for good or ill. And the main reason for that is that Bangladesh beat India in that year’s World Cup. As a result, India went home early and the plotting began to redesign the 50-over tournament to make it tediously shock-proof, which in turn made the nascent World Twenty20 tournament a more appealing draw, and India won its inaugural edition. In 2007. Which ensured India would be the throbbing crucible of the shortest form of the game, even though they haven’t won it since. So here we are. India, on home soil, tournament favourites, but nonetheless treading on egg-shells after that opening-game defeat by New Zealand. Defeat in Bengaluru could put them out. The hosts are firm favourites though, and bolstered by their accomplished and comfortable win over Pakistan, while Bangladesh remain hobbled by the absence of key bowlers Arafat Sonny and Taskin Ahmed, though they gave Australia some scares at this same venue on Monday. And T20 cricket is a great leveller, or some other such cliche. Stay tuned.
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