India win last-ball World T20 thriller to deny Bangladesh

Hosts India snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Twenty20 semi-finals with a dramatic one-run win over Bangladesh on Wednesday.

Bangladesh, chasing 147 for victory in the Group Two match, needed 11 runs off the last over bowled by seamer Hardik Pandya and made the perfect start as Mushfiqur Rahim (11) smashed fours off the first two balls.

However, they then lost three wickets in four deliveries as a jubilant India team scraped over the line to climb to second in the table while their opponents remained bottom following a third defeat.

India, under pressure after losing to New Zealand in their opening match, were put in to bat at the start of the day and lost both openers in quick succession.

Virat Kohli (24) and Suresh Raina (30) steadied the ship by adding 50 for the third wicket but a disciplined performance by Bangladesh's bowlers held India in check as they posted a modest total of 146 for seven.

The home spinners then took control with Bangladesh unable to get to grips with Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Ashwin struck with his second ball, removing Mohammad Mithun for one.

Fellow opener Tamim Iqbal (35), back in the side after food poisoning, and Sabbir Rahman (26) shared a stand of 44 before both were stumped by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Ashwin then picked up the important wicket of Shakib Al Hasan (22) while Jadeja bowled Mashrafe Mortaza for six.

Mahmudullah hit back with a quickfire 18 and Soumya Sarkar struck a run-a-ball 21 to haul Bangladesh within sight of victory.

However, a thrilling final over saw Mushfiqur caught at deep mid-wicket by Shikhar Dhawan.

Mahmudullah was also snapped up by Jadeja in the deep off the next ball and, needing one run to take the game into a super over, Bangladesh number 11 Mustafizur Rahman was run out by keeper Dhoni after completely missing a wide delivery.

India conjured a nerve-tingling one-run victory over Bangladesh to keep alive their chances of reaching the semifinals of the World T20 in a low-scoring thrilling on Wednesday.

Chasing a target of 147, Bangladesh were on course for a historic win before losing wickets in a cluster virtually snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Bangladesh finished on 145-9 with Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah perishing attempting to finish the match in style.

Ashwin was adjudged man of the match for his excellent spell claiming two for 20.

Dhoni runs out Mustafizur to deny Bangladesh a single as India pulled off a remarkable comeback win by one run.

Jadeja takes a superb catch as Mahmudullah perishes taking the aerial route of a full toss. Ban 145-8, 19.5 overs.

Mahmudullah c Jadeja b Pandya 18 (22b 1x4)

Mushfiqur going for the glory shot holes out to Dhawan. Ban 145-7, 19.4 overs.

Mushfiqur Rahim c Dhawan b Pandya 11 (6b 2x4)

Mushfiqur follows its up with a scoop shot past Dhoni for a boundary and Bangladesh need two from three balls.

Mushfiqur cracks Pandya through the covers for a boundary as Bangladesh need six off four balls.

Bangladesh need 11 off the last over to be bowled by Pandya. Ban 136-6, 19 overs.

Nehra gets a breakthrough after being hammered for a boundary by Sarkar who slams a full toss down the throat of long-on. Ban 126-6, 17.5 overs.

Soumya Sarkar c Kohli b Nehra 21 (21b 1x4 1x6)

Bangladesh need 27 off 18 balls. Ban 120-5, 17 overs.

Sarkar sweeps Jadeja for a six over midwicket to close the gap. Ban 113-5, 16 overs.

India are back as Ashwin has struck a crucial blow finding the outside edge of Shakib. Ban 95-5, 12.1 overs.

Shakib Al Hasan c Raina b Ashwin 22 (15b 2x6)

Shakib has muscled Jadeja for another massive six over midwicket. Ban 95-4, 12 overs.

Jadeja strikes clattering the stumps of Mortaza. Ban 87-4, 11.1 overs.

Mashrafe Mortaza b Jadeja 6 (5b 1x6)

Shakib hoists Pandya into the stands for a massive six. Ban 87-3, 11 overs.

Another dropped catch as Ashwin fails to latch on to a chance of Shakib.

Skipper Mortaza promotes himself and bludgeons a six off Raina. Ban 77-3, 10 overs.

Dhoni pulls off a brilliant leg side stumping to get rid of Sabbir. Ban 69-3, 9.2 overs.

Sabbir Rahman st Dhoni b Raina 26 (15b 3x4 1x6)

Sabbir gets a couple of streaky boundaries of Pandya, including a top edge off a bouncer. Ban 67-2, 9 overs.

Jadeja strikes luring out Tamim with Dhoni doing the rest. Ban 55-2, 7.4 overs.

Tamim Iqbal st Dhoni b Jadeja 35 (32b 5x4)

Tamim slams four boundaries off Bumrah as Bangladesh have raced to 45-1 at the end of the Powerplay.

Sabbir hits the first six of the innings pulling Ashwin over the ropes.

Tamim gets another life on 15 as Bumrah drops a skier off Ashwin. Ban 29-1, 5 overs.

Ashwin strikes with his second delivery as Mithun tries to hoist him out of the ground only to find the fielder at long on. Ban 11-1, 2.2 overs.

Mohammad Mithun c Pandya b Ashwin 1 (3b)

Tamim flicks the first ball from Nehra to fine leg which runs to the boundary off a misfield as Bangladesh begin chasing 147. Ban 7-0, 1 over.

Nehra fails to hang onto a sharp return catch off Tamim on 6 in the same over.

Bangladesh innings

Bangladesh have restricted India to 146 for 7 backing up some disciplined bowling with superb fielding.

Mustafizur strikes castling Jadeja who plays all over. Ind 137-7, 19.1 overs.

Ravindra Jadeja b Mustafizur Rahman 12 (8b 2x4)

Jadeja gets a couple of boundaries as India aim to finish with a flourish. Ind 137-6, 19 overs.

Dhoni has completed 1000 runs in T20 international cricket. Ind 123-6, 18 overs.

Yuvraj perishes spooning a catch to short fine leg. Ind 118-6, 17 overs.

Yuvraj Singh c Al-Amin Hossain b Mahmudullah 3 (6b)

Sarkar takes another stunning catch to dismiss Pandya. Ind 112-5, 15.2 overs.

Hardik Pandya c Soumya Sarkar b Al-Amin Hossain 15 (7b 2x4 1x6)

Raina is bounced out by Al-Amin. Ind 112-4, 15.1 overs.

Suresh Raina c Sabbir Rahman b Al-Amin Hossain 30 (23b 1x4 2x6)

Pandya is dealing in boundaries opening with a six off Shuvagata and cracking two consecutive boundaries off Shakib. Ind 112-3, 15 overs.

Shuvagata strikes after hammered for a boundary by Raina and a six by Kohli who finds his stumps castled. Ind 95-3, 13.4 overs.

Virat Kohli b Shuvagata Hom 24 (24b 0x4 1x6)

Al-Amin drops a tough chance from Kohli off his own bowling while Raina goes berserk clubbing two conseutive sixes. Ind 73-2, 11 overs.

Shakib strikes trapping Dhawan leg before. Ind 45-2, 7 overes.

Shikhar Dhawan lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 23 (22b 2x4 1x6)

Mustafizur has the last laugh as Rohit gives a skier to midwicket. Ind 42-1, 6 overs.

Rohit Sharma c Sabbir Rahman b Mustafizur Rahman 18 (16b 1x4 1x6)

India are on the charge as Dhawan also follows suit by whacking Mustafizur over midwicket for a six.

Rohit hits the first six of the match thumping Mustafizur straight down the ground.

Dhawan picks up his second boundary spoiling a good over from Mustafizur with a scorching drive. Ind 23-0, 4 overs.

Rohit gets his first boundary by square driving Al-Amin through point beating the fielder in the deep. Ind 17-0, 3 overs.

Dhawan hits the first boundary of the match latching on to short pitched delivery from Shuvagata and pulling to midwicket. Ind 9-0, 2 overs.

Dhoni flips the coin and Mortaza calls it right and Bangladesh have invited India to take first lease of the wicket.

India are unchanged while Tamim Iqbal comes in for Bangladesh.

Veteran fast bowler Ashish Nehra said India can't afford any slip-ups against Bangladesh on Wednesday if they are to avoid a humiliating early exit from the World Twenty20 on home soil.

The hosts are precariously placed in fourth spot of Group Two after one defeat and one win and desperately need an emphatic victory against Bangladesh to boost their run rate as they bid for a semi-finals berth.

India's six-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday will have boosted their confidence after a shock 47-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening group match.

But Nehra, part of the Indian side that won the 50-overs World Cup in 2011, said Bangladesh could not be "taken lightly".

"Only two teams will qualify. Till the time (you do), you need to approach every game as a knockout game. There's not too much room for error," the 36-year-old said in a pre-match press conference Tuesday.

"Everyone in the dressing room, we are not taking Bangladesh lightly."

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has urged his big-hitters to improve their run rate dramatically against Bangladesh and then Australia in the following match if they are to be sure of qualification.

While Bangladesh have a poor track record in T20s, they beat India in a one-day series last year.

Dhoni said India, firm favourites at the start of the tournament to lift a second World T20 title, needed to improve to qualify from a tough group.

"I still feel there is still scope for improvement and in the coming two games that will be our priority," he said after Saturday's win over Pakistan.

New Zealand top the group on four points after two wins while Pakistan, Australia and India all have two points.

However India's run rate, which could determine who qualifies, is considerably worse than their rivals.

"In the first game our run rate went down. So it's not only about winning but you have to take care of the run-rate at some point," added Dhoni.

The hosts are seeking to become the first country to win the World T20 title twice, after clinching the crown in 2007, and also the first to win at home.

A depleted Bangladesh, by comparison, will be desperate for a win after two straight losses, the latest to Australia by three wickets on Monday.

Sitting at the bottom of Group Two after also losing to Pakistan, the Tigers have almost no chance of advancing to the semi-finals, but skipper Mashrafe Mortaza vowed to battle on.

"We will keep fighting. We still have two matches to fight hard," he said.

Shakib Al Hasan, widely considered Bangladesh's best player, said his side needed to stamp out sloppy fielding including dropped catches that marred their efforts against Australia.

"We need to be very disciplined with our bowling and fielding to restrict them (India)," he said.

The Tigers were left reeling after the ICC's decision at the weekend to suspend their top bowlers Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed for illegal actions, forcing them to rush in replacements from Bangladesh.

There are also question marks over star batsman Tamim Iqbal who is unwell and did not play against Australia.

Teams

India (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt and wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Pawan Negi, Ashish Nehra, Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh.

Bangladesh (from): Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Abu Hider, Al-Amin Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wicketkeeper), Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Shuvagata Hom, Saqlain Sajib

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