Bangladesh Register First-Ever T20I Win Against India

Bangladesh thrashed India by seven wickets in the opening T20I of the three-match series at the newly-named Arun Jaitly Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. All credit goes to an unbeaten half-century smashed by Mushfiqur Rahim.

Bangladesh Register First-Ever T20I Win Against India

The visitors have now taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series between the two countries. This is the first-ever victory of Bangladesh over India in the shortest format of the game.

Chasing a target of 149 runs to win, Bangladesh lost their opener Liton Das very early for just seven runs bowled by Deepak Chahar. After that Mohammad Naim (25) and Soumya Sarkar (39) steady their side’s ship by making a crucial 46-run partnership for the second wicket. However, Yuzvendra Chahal got hold of Naim (26) which brought Mushfiqur Rahim out on the field.

Subsequently, Mushfiqur not only pulled back an unbeaten 60-run knock but also shared a significant stand of 60 runs with Sarkar to take Bangladesh on the verge of victory, but soon after Khaleel Ahmed bowled Sarkar (39) in the 17th over.

In the 18th over, bowled by Chahal, Krunal Pandya dropped Rahim’s easy catch. Bangladesh brought the match to a point where they needed 22 runs from 12 balls with Rahim and Mahmudullah on the field.

Khaleel Ahmed conceded 18 runs in the 19th over with Rahim smashing four boundaries in the over. Mahmudullah then struck a six in the last over and handed Bangladesh a massive victory. Rahim played an unbeaten knock of 60 runs during the chase.

Earlier, the visitors had won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first. However, India suffered a major blow as Rohit Sharma was dismissed in the very first over of the innings. Sharma (9) was given LBW on the Shafiul Islam’s delivery. Shikhar Dhawan’s was then joined by KL Rahul on the field.

Both added 26 runs on the board before Rahul (15) gave away an easy catch to Mahmudullah off Aminul Islam’s delivery in the seventh over. Shreyas Iyer was the next batsman and played a quick knock of 22 runs off 13 balls before getting caught by Mohammad Naim on Aminul Islam’s ball.

Rishabh Pant then came out to bat and played cautiously with Dhawan. Both formed a 25-run partnership. However, in the 15th over, due to miscommunication Dhawan was run-out on 41 runs.

Shivam Dube then took the field but failed to leave a mark as he was caught and bowled by Afif Hossain in the 16th over.

Pant (27) too was sent back to the pavilion in the 19th over. Washington Sundar and Krunal Pandya then took the charge and helped India set a respectable total on the board. Bangladesh bowlers produced a good performance with the ball to restrict India to 148 for six in their stipulated 20 overs.

Mushfiqur Rahim was adjudged Man of the Match for his brilliant performance with the bat.

Meanwhile India, who are now trailing Bangladesh by 1-0 in the three-match series, will look to bounce back when they will play the second T20I at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Gujarat on Thursday.