Mirpur: Two-time world champions India on Wednesday managed to grab a face-saving 77-run victory against Bangladesh in the third and the last one-day international to return home on a winning note following an embarrassing 2-1 series loss.
The Indian team has drawn a lot of flak after failing to put up a fight and losing their first-ever series to a much-improved Bangladesh team.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men were outplayed by Bangladesh in every department of the game in the last two ODIs and it was their last chance to grab a consolation win.
Half-centuries from Shikhar Dhawan and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni propelled India to a challenging 317 for 6 and then the Indian bowlers restricted the hosts to 240 in 47 overs to avoid an unprecedented ‘Banglawash’ at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium here.
Chasing a daunting target, Bangladesh batsmen failed to convert starts into big scores and eventually fizzled out under pressure. Suresh Raina was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets.
Bangladesh’s chase was rocked early by Dhawal Kulkarni, who got rid of opener Tamim Iqbal (LBW) in the second over of the innings for 5. Soumya Sarkar and wicketkeeper batsman Litton Das, however, forged a 54-run stand to give the hosts a shot in the arm. However, an inexperienced Soumya lost his concentration and mistimed a slower ball from Kulkarni to give a simple catch to Ravichandran Ashwin at mid-on at 40.
Bangladesh once again recovered from Soumya’s wicket with a 50-run partnership, courtesy Mushfiqur Rahim and Das.
Dhoni’s trump card Raina foxed Mushfiqur (24) and Dhoni took and equally good catch to break the stand.
Soon after, Axar Patel too joined the bandwagon and scalped Das for 34 to put Bangladesh in a spot of bother. Bangladesh never bounced back and continued to lose regular wickets. Lack of partnerships eventually took the steam out of the hosts’ run-chase. Shakib (20), Shabbir Rahman (43), Mashrafe Mortaza (0), Nasir Hossain (32) and Rubel Hossain (2) all fell in quick succession.
Mustafizur Rahman (9) was the last man to fall as Bangladesh crumbled under pressure.
For India, Raina finished with 3 for 45, Kulkarni and Ashwin took two wickets apiece, while Binny, Patel and Rayudu scalped one each.
Having lost the first two matches comprehensively, India showed more intent and composure in dealing with the Bangladesh bowlers, especially left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, after being asked to bat.
Dhawan made 75 and Dhoni 69 as the visitors tried to avoid an embarrassing ODI series whitewash at the hands of their subcontinental neighbours.
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza took three wickets for but conceded 76 runs.
Opener Rohit Sharma and Dhawan gave the visitors a fluent start before the 19-year-old Mustafizur got the breakthrough..
Mustafizur, who grabbed 11 wickets in the first two matches, picked up Rohit for the third time in the series as wicketkeeper Litton Das took a regulation catch for 29. He eventually ended with 13 wickets in three ODIs.
Dhawan and Virat Kohli put on 75 for the second wicket to steady the ship before left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan grabbed Kohli in his first over to dent India’s progress.
The Indian vice-captain went for a wild slog-sweep but missed the line to be castled for 25.
Spinner Nasir Hossain then pulled off a stunning catch at short mid-wicket off Mortaza to dismiss Dhawan, who hit 10 fours for his second fifty of the series. Dhawan’s wicket came against the run of play.
However, Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu did not let the momentum slip as they put on a 93-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Rayudu was unlucky to miss out on his fifty when he was given out caught behind off Mortaza for 44. Replays suggested the ball hit only his thigh pad.
Bangladesh soon managed to get rid of Dhoni when Mustafizur took a catch at deep mid-wicket off Mortaza.
Dhoni, who was under a lot of pressure to perform, promoted himself to number four in the order for the second time in the series. He faced 77 balls and hit six fours and a six in his counter-attacking knock.
Southpaw Suresh Raina added a quickfire 38 off 21 balls before Mustafizur bowled him to take his tally to 13 in the series and finish the day with 2 for 57.
Allrounder Stuart Binny, who came in for Ravindra Jadeja, was unbeaten on 17 and helped India breach the 300-run mark for the first time in this series.
For Bangladesh, Mortaza returned home with the figures of 3 for 76, while Mustafizur scalped 2 for 57 and Shakib finished with 1 for 33.
