Thrilling one-run win keeps India afloat

This one wasn’t for the faint-hearted. The India-Bangladesh encounter hardly had any signs of a thriller it eventually turned out to be, as the hosts pulled off a dramatic one-run win here on Wednesday to stay in contention for a semifinal spot in the World T20 tournament.

After being put into bat first, India struggled their way to 146 while losing seven wickets on a sluggish Chinnaswamy surface. The total appeared a competitive one given India’s slow-bowling resources and the conditions, but Bangladesh, despite losing wickets at regular intervals, stayed firmly in sight of the chase. India helped Bangladesh’s cause in no small way by dropping as many as three eminently catchable offers. Their ground fielding wasn’t up to the mark either.

With 11 needed off the last over it was anybody’s game, though you had to favour Bangladesh at the start of the over. Three balls into the over, it was Bangladesh’s game to lose and they did as well.

Having scored nine runs off the first three balls by Hardik Pandya, Bangladesh lost two wickets in the next two balls. With Bangladesh needing two runs off the last ball, MS Dhoni ran out Mustafizur Rahman to trigger wild celebrations. Bangladesh eventually finished at 145 for nine.

Before India fought their back into the side to bring the equation to 11 off the last over, Bangladesh were cruising to victory. At 87 for three in 12 overs, they were rocked by man of the match R Ashwin (2/20).

He dismissed the dangerous Shakib Al Hasan and gave away just one run to sow seeds of doubt in Bangladesh batsmen’s minds. After this, the fortunes swung back and forth before the drama unfolded in the final over. The win kept India firmly in race for a semifinal berth, and in all probability, their match against Australia on Sunday in Mohali may turn out to be a direct shootout between the two sides for the knockouts.