India win Asia Cup match against Bangladesh
India have romped to a six wicket victory against Bangladesh in their opening match of the Asia Cup as Virender Sehwag took 4-6 and Gautam Gambhir collected 82 runs to top score for his team.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Bangladesh made a flying start with openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes feasting on boundaries to race to 35 in less than three overs, before Tamim’s aggressiveness – the delivery after he’d hit the first six of the match – brought him undone for 22 as he was caught attempting to drive Praveen Kumar to the boundary yet again.
With the dangerous Tamim back in the pavilion, the runs didn’t flow as easily for Shakib Al Hasan’s team, and while the top order all made starts, none were able to convert them into potentially match-winning innings as Ashish Nehra claimed the wickets of Kayes (37) and Mohammad Ashraful (20) before the end of the 16th over.
Mushfiqur Rahim added 30, and soaked up 55 balls, before Sehwag struck for his first wicket to leave Bangladesh struggling at 6-160. Rohit Sharma claimed the seventh Bangladeshi scalp of the match in the 34th over, while Sehwag’s part-time spin wrapped up the tail in the next as Bangladesh squandered a promising start to be dismissed for a paltry 167.
India began the chase strongly, with Sehwag and Gambhir amassing 37 before the former edged a swinging Mashrafe Mortaza delivery into the gloves of wicketkeeper Rahim.
Poor light forced players off the field during the 10th over, with India on 58-1, but when play resumed after the break, Gambhir looked to continue India’s march towards victory.
Bangladesh, however, were kept in the match, at least temporarily, thanks to their skipper, who snared the wicket of Virat Kohli, stumped for 11, and then set up the hat trick when he trapped Rohit Sharma in front for a duck, before Shakib’s opposing number, MS Dhoni, stood firm to deny him.
Handed a life just shy of his half-century, when Tamim dropped what should have been a routine catch, Gambhir went on to score 82 runs before his wicket finally fell with India requiring just 10 more runs to win the match.
In the end it was Dhoni (38) who got his team across the line with two consecutive fours and 116 balls to spare.
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