Part time off-spinner Kedar Jadhav's 'golden arm' provided decisive twin blows, helping defending champions India restrict Bangladesh to 264 for seven in the second semifinal of the Champions Trophy here today.
Jadhav’s 2/22 in six overs brought India back in the game as he took the crucial wickets of Tamim Iqbal (70) and Mushfiqur Rahim (61) with his fastish off-breaks.
The two wickets proved to be the difference between Bangladesh only managing 264 instead of a projected 310 after Tamim and Rahim had added 123 runs for the second wicket in only 21.1 overs.
Once Kedar was done with his job, Jasprit Bumrah (2/40 in 10 overs) played his regular part to perfection stifling the opposition with as many as 40 dot balls.
The third Powerplay (41-50) saw Bangladesh scoring only 62 runs primarily due to a cameo from skipper Mashrafe Mortaza (30 no off 25 balls).
Bumrah's senior partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/53) complemented him well with couple of dismissals first up. Bangladesh lost momentum when Jadhav first got rid of the dangerous Tamim, who tried an ugly slog sweep to a delivery that was fired down at middle and leg. He missed the line completely to be bowled.
In a space of few overs, Jadhav was back in thick of things, this time getting Rahim to drive uppishly which went straight to skipper Virat Kohli at mid-wicket.
Jadhav was an inspired choice for Kohli as his fifth bowler Hardik Pandya had an off-day, giving away 34 in his four overs including one over where he got Tamim out twice – caught off a free-hit and then bowled off a no-ball.
Ravindra Jadeja (1/48 in 10 overs) got Shakib Al Hasan (15) caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni between the dismissals of Tamim and Rahim.
From 154 for two, Bangladesh slumped to 179 for five, once again fluffing their lines during the crucial death overs.
It was Bumrah who took charge during the death overs. He scared the hell out of Mosaddek Saikat (15) with a barrage of short balls which got him a simple caught and bowled.
Bangladesh’s last hope for a big score was Mahmudullah Riyadh (21), who got the perfect yorker and he could have done nothing about it.
Earlier, both Tamim and Shakib didn’t take too many risks but got the scoreboard ticking raising hopes of a big total when they were comfortably placed at 154 for two.
Tamim’s 82 ball innings had seven fours and a flicked six off Hardik Pandya while Rahim hit four boundaries in his 85-ball knock. In fact after three successive boundaries off a Bhuvneshwar over, Rahim was more keen on rotating the strike.
They in fact negotiated Ravichandran Ashwin (10-0-54-0) well without taking any undue risks. While Ashwin bowled 27 dot balls, he did not bowl any wicket-taking deliveries.
