Despite Gill’s century Bangladesh secure a consolation win with a significant contribution from captain Shakib Al Hasan and debutant Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Brief Score: Bangladesh 265 for 8 (Shakib 80, Hridoy 54, Thakur 3-65) beat India 259 all out (Gill 121, Axar 42, Mustafizur 3-50) by six runs
Player of the Match: Shakib Al Hasan
Shubman Gill’s brilliance and Axar Patel’s late onslaught weren’t enough as Bangladesh secured a consolation victory over India, ending their Asia Cup 2023 campaign on a high at the R Premadasa Stadium on Friday night.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and Towhid Hridoy saved Bangladesh from a precarious 59/4 in their last Super Fours game with a 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan’s contributions towards the end helped Bangladesh post a respectable 265 for 8.
India’s batting lineup, missing Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya, struggled after Rohit Sharma’s early dismissal. Despite Shubman Gill scoring his fifth ODI hundred, India found themselves behind throughout the game.
Axar, despite injuring his left hand twice while batting, and Shardul Thakur’s late efforts weren’t enough to secure a win for India. Mohammed Shami’s run-out off the penultimate ball sealed Bangladesh’s thrilling six-run victory.
Despite wickets falling around him, Shubman kept India’s hopes alive with a brilliant knock. He handled the strike rotation and boundary-clearing with calculated risks. With 96 needed off 74 balls, Axar joined him.
Although Axar provided crucial support, Mustafizur Rahman’s return to the bowling attack derailed India’s chase. As India already sealed their spot in the final, the team rested five regular players and gave World Cup reserves and backups game-time.
Kohli, Hardik, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj were rested, making way for debutant Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shami, Shardul, and Prasidh Krishna.
In addition to their stuttering chase, India’s poor catching was a cause for concern. Similar to their earlier match against Nepal, India dropped three straightforward catches early in the game. These lapses must be addressed before the final against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
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