T20 World Cup: Hardik Pandya shines as India rout Bangladesh to maintain unbeaten run

North Sound: All-rounder Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten knock and bowlers superb performance helped India to beat Bangladesh by 50 runs in their Super Eight stage clash of T20 World Cup at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here on Saturday. This was India’s second win at Super 8 stage which took them closer to semifinal berth.

After scoring a challenging score of 196, Indian bowlers started to put pressure on Bangladeshi batters right from the beginning. Liton Das (13) was first to go inside powerplay, claimed by Hardik Pandya. They lost wickets in regular intervals. Captain Najmul Shanto scored 40 runs from 32 balls while opener Tanzid Hasan (29), Shakib Al Hasan (11), Towhid Hridoy (4) failed to contribute big innings in the middle overs. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav took 3 wickets for 19. In-form Jasprit Bumrah gave away only 13 runs in his spell by claiming 2 wickets. Bangladesh could manage 146/8 runs in allotted overs.

Earlier, an unbeaten 27-ball half-century by Hardik Pandya, coupled with attacking 30s from Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Shivam Dube, propelled India to a commanding 196/5.

On a fresh pitch, India dominated from the word go with immaculate ease, as every batter looked to attack, resulting in four batters having strike-rate above 150. Pandya’s half-century was laced with four boundaries and three sixes, which was key in India amassing 62 runs off the last five overs. Kohli made a solid 37, while Pant smashed an entertaining 36 and Dube overcame his struggles to hit 34, as India also posted the highest T20I score at the venue. They also hit 13 sixes -– the most number of maximums they have hit in a T20 World Cup game, as Bangladesh struggled to contain them for prolonged periods.

Pushed into batting first, with cross wind blowing, Rohit Sharma didn’t let the spinners settle by sweeping Mahedi Hasan for four, followed by repeating the same shot against Shakib Al Hasan for a similar result. Kohli joined in taking the attack to spinners by smacking Shakib for a clean six over long-on, followed by using his bottom hand strongly in flicking Tanzim Hasan Sakib for four. Rohit danced down the pitch to hit Shakib for a big six, before slicing him past backward point for four more in the fourth over.

Shakib eventually had the last laugh as Rohit got a top-edge on slog and was caught by backward point. Kohli used his bottom hand well in swinging Mustafizur Rahman for six, followed by slamming leg-spinner Rishad Hossain down the ground for another maximum. But in the ninth over, Tanzim’s clever change in pace got Bangladesh back in the game -– getting a slower off-cutter which kept straight to castle Kohli. Though Suryakumar Yadav swiped him for a six, Tanzim got extra bounce on a length delivery outside off-stump to take Suryakumar’s glove edge behind to keeper.

Pant, who was at 12 off 15 balls, greeted Rahman with a drive through the gap between cover and mid-off for four. He was quick to heave a slower ball from Rahman high over mid-wicket for six and flicked a full toss in the gap between square leg and fine leg for four more to take 14 runs off the 11th over.

Hossain was next in the firing line, as Pant smashed him with the spin over long-on for six and then swept him behind for four more. But Hossain bounced back as Pant reverse-swept straight to short third man. Pandya and Dube dealt in singles before the former cut loose by hammering Mahedi with the wind through extra cover for six and four respectively.

Dube hammered three quick sixes before being cast by a slower googly from Hossain. Pandya continued to be at his free-flowing best -– slamming two sixes, before hitting three fours in the final over off Rahman to take India past 190 and get his fifty on the last ball of the innings.

Brief scores: India 196/5 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 50 not out, Virat Kohli 37; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2-32, Rishad Hossain 2-43) beat Bangladesh 146/8 in 20 overs (Najmul Shanto 40, Kuldeep Yadav 3/19, Jasprit Bumrah 2/13, Arshdeep Singh 2/30). Agencies

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