Asia Cup T20: Rohit leads India to crushing win over Bangladesh

Rohit Sharma made a half-century as India crushed Bangladesh by 45 runs to get their campaign in the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament off to a flying start in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Big-hitting opener Sharma smashed 83 off 55 balls to help India overcome a shaky start to score 166-6 before some excellent bowling by left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra and other medium pacers restricted hosts Bangladesh to 121-7.

One-down Sabbir Rahman made the highest 44 off 32 balls for Bangladesh after an early innings jolt saw the home side lose both their openers Mohammad Mithun (one) and Soumya Sarkar (11) for 15 runs.

Bangladesh could never recover from the damage and kept losing wickets at regular intervals as experienced Nehra finished with 3-23.

Indians Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed one wicket each, and all conceded 23 runs.

Bangladesh earlier opted to bowl first on a rain-soaked pitch and made good use of the conditions to put India in trouble early in their innings at the packed Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Al Amin Hossain bowled opener Shikhar Dhawan for two before skipper Mashrafe Mortaza got rid of an in-form Virat Kohli, who offered an easy catch to Mahmudullah at mid off for eight, putting India's formidable batting on the back foot.

With the first six overs yielding just 31 runs, India began to feel the pressure once Mahmudullah bowled Suresh Raina for 13 to leave the visitors struggling at 42-3.

Sharma and Yuvraj Singh steadied the innings with a 55-run fourth wicket partnership before Pandya, who scored 31 off 18 balls, joined the opener to provide India a much-needed impetus.

Sharma was dropped by Shakib Al Hasan on 21 off Taskin Ahmed and he promptly made Bangladesh pay dearly as he hit two fours and a six in the next three balls of the over.

He struck seven fours and three sixes for his 10th half-century in a Twenty20 international.

"It's important for me to start afresh and not look back too much," said man of the match Sharma.

"This is a perfect platform for us before the World Cup (World Twenty20)," he said.

"I was focusing on my basics on this kind of the pitch, use the pace of the bowlers. It was a good wicket and the ball was carrying."

Skipper MS Dhoni, who passed a late fitness test to play the game, reserved some praise for young all-rounder Pandya.

"Batting fearlessly is Hardik (Pandya)'s strength and that's why we want to give him more matches, he's a good fielder too and a useful third seamer," said Dhoni.

Sri Lanka will face the United Arab Emirates in the second match of the tournament at the same venue on Thursday.

Scoreboard:
 
India  

R. Sharma c Soumya b Al-Amin 83  
S. Dhawan b Al-Amin 2
V. Kohli c Mahmudullah b Mortaza 8
S. Raina b Mahmudullah 13
Y. Singh c Soumya b Shakib 15
H. Pandya c Mahmudullah b Al-Amin 31
MS Dhoni not out 8
R. Jadeja not out 0
Extras (b1 lb2, w3) 6
Total (six wickets; 20 overs) 166
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Dhawan), 2-22 (Kohli), 3-42 (Raina, 4-97 (Yuvraj), 5-158 (Sharma), 6-158 (Pandya
Did not bat: R. Ashwin, J. Bumrah, A. Nehra
Bowling: Taskin 3-0-22-0, Al-Amin 4-0-37-3, Mustafizur 4-0-40-0 (w2), Mortaza 4-0-40-1 (w1) Mahmudullah 2-0-9-1, Shakib 3-0-15-1  

Bangladesh

Soumya Sarkar c Dhoni b Bumrah 11
Mohammad Mithun b Nehra 1
Sabbir Rahman c Dhoni b Pandya 44
Imrul Kayes c Yuvraj b Ashwin 14
Shakib Al Hasan run out 3
Mushfiqur Rahim not out 16
Mahmudullah c Sharma b Nehra 7
Mashrafe Mortaza c Jadeja b Nehra 0
Taskin Ahmed not out 15
Extras (lb4 w6) 10
Total (seven wickets; 20 overs) 121
Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Mithun), 2-15 (Soumya), 3-50 (Kayes), 4-73 (Shakib), 5-82 ( Sabbir), 6-100 (Mahmudullah) , 7-100 (Mortaza)
Did not bat:  Al-Amin Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman
Bowling: Nehra 4-0-23-3 (w1), Bumrah 4-0-23-1, Pandya 4-0-23-1 (w3), Ashwin 4-0-23-1, Jadeja 4-0-25-0 (w2)
Result: India won by 45 runs
Toss: Bangladesh
Umpires - Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI) and Shozab Raza (PAK)
TV umpire - Enamul Haque (BAN)
Match referee - Richie Richardson (WI)

Campaign

India opened their Asia Cup campaign with an emphatic 45-run win over Bangladesh at Mirpur on Wednesday.

Chasing a target of 167, Bangladesh's innings never got any momentum finishing on 121-7 with Nehra claiming three for 23.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma made a fabulous half-century as India overcame a shaky start to post 166-6 in the opening match of the Asia Cup against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Rohit hit 83 off 55 balls after Bangladesh, opting to bowl first on a rain-soaked pitch, made good use of the conditions to put India in trouble at a packed Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Al Amin Hossain bowled opener Shikhar Dhawan for two before skipper Mortaza got rid of in-form Virat Kohli, who offered an easy catch to Mahmudullah at mid off for eight, to provide the initial jolt.

With the first six overs yielding just 31 runs, India began to feel the pressure once Mahmudullah bowled Suresh Raina for 13 to leave the visitors struggling at 42-3.

Sharma and Yuvraj Singh steadied the innings with a 55-run fourth wicket partnership before Hardik Pandya, who scored 31 off 18 balls, joined the opener to provide India much-needed impetus.

Sharma was dropped by Shakib on 21 off Taskin Ahmed and he promptly made Bangladesh pay dearly as he hit two fours and a six in the next three balls of the over.

He struck seven fours and three sixes for his 10th half-century in a Twenty20 international.

Sharma and Pandya had their work cut out against Bangladesh's star left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman, picking 21 runs off his third over and keeping him wicket-less in the match
Al-Amin dismissed both Sharma and Pandya in the final over to finish with 3-37.

Nehra is on a hat-trick. Ban 100-7, 16.4 overs.

Mashrafe Mortaza c Jadeja b Nehra 0 (1b)

Nehra claims another as Mahmudullah departs. Ban 100-6, 16.3 overs.

Mahmudullah c Sharma b Nehra 7 (6b 1x4)

Sabbir falls failing to get the middle after a big swing at Pandya to give Dhoni a skier. Ban 82-5, 14.1 overs.

Sabbir Rahman c Dhoni b Pandya 44 (32b 2x4 2x6)

Shakib fumes after being stranded in a mix-up with his partner. Ban 73-4, 12.3 overs.

Shakib Al Hasan run out 3 (8b)

Ashwin strikes as Kayes swings and gets a leading edge to Yuvraj. Ban 50-3, 9.5 overs.

Imrul Kayes c Yuvraj Singh b Ashwin 14 (24b 1x4)

Ashwin comes into the attack and Sabbir gets a boundary off the first ball with a reverse sweep. Ban 42-2, 8 overs.

Another one goes down to the new ball Bumrah strikes, Ban 15-2, 3.2overs.

Soumya Sarkar c Dhoni b Bumrah 11 (14b 1x4)

Nehra draws first blood clattering the stumps of Mithun. Ban 9-1, 2.2 overs

Mohammad Mithun b Nehra 1 (3b)

Sarkar cracks Bumrah over point for a boundary as Bangladesh begin chasing 167. Ban 9-0, 2 overs.

India innings

Dhoni clubs Al-Amin into the crowd at midwicket as India finish on 166-6, plundering 69 off the last five overs.

Pandya also departs as India stumble in the end overs. Ind 158-6, 19.4 overs.

Hardik Pandya c Mahmudullah b Al-Amin Hossain 31 (18b 4x4 1x6)

Sarkar takes a superb catch to dismiss Rohit who tries to swing Al-Amin out of the ground. Ind 158-5, 19.2 overs.

Rohit Sharma c Soumya Sarkar b Al-Amin Hossain 83 (55b 7x4 3x6)

Pandya has pummelled Mustafizur through point for another boundary. Ind 157-4, 19 overs.

Pandya cracks a couple of boundaries on either side of the wicket as the 50 partnership with Rohit comes in just 18 deliveries. Ind 149-4, 18 overs

Mustafizur has gone for 21 with Pandya clubbing him for a six. Ind 136-4, 17 overs.

Rohit flicks Mustafizur to midwicket with Shakib failing to hang onto a boundary catch.

Pandya gets into the act with a superb late cut shot off Mustafizur for a boundary.

Mortaza has gone for 18 as Rohit changes gears seamlessly lofting a six down the ground followed by two sizzling boundaries. Ind 115-4, 16 overs.

Yuvraj tries to hoist Shakib out of the ground but hit straight to the long-on fielder. Ind 97-4, 14.5 overs.

Yuvraj Singh c Soumya Sarkar b Shakib Al Hasan 15 (16b 1x4)

Rohit completes yet another fifty off 42 and then sweeps Shakib to square leg for a boundary.

Yuvraj gets a boundary with a sizzling off drive. Ind 90-3, 14 overs.

Rohit is turning it on pulling Mortaza to the fine leg fence while Yuvraj completes 1,000 runs in T20 internationals. Ind 76-3, 12 overs.

Rohit is let off by Shakib and then hammers a two boundaries and a six in successive balls of Taskin. Ind 66-3, 11 overs.

Mahmudullah strikes as Raina gives the charge and finds his middle stump missing. Ind 42-3, 7.5 overs.

Suresh Raina b Mahmudullah 13 (13b 2x4 0x6)

Raina gets cracking with a couple of boundaries off Al-Amin. Ind 31-2, 6 overs.

Huge blow for India as Kohli perishes after struggling to attack the bowling. Ind 22-2, 4.3 overs.

Virat Kohli c Mahmudullah b Mashrafe Mortaza 8 (12b 1x4)

Kohli is lucky getting a boundary off an inside edge off Tashkin. Ind 16-1, 3 overs.

Rohit hits the first boundary of the match driving Al-Amin through the covers. Ind 9-1, 2 overs.

Al-Amin draws first blood knocking the off stump of Dhawan with his third delivery. Ind 4-1, 1.3 overs.

Shikhar Dhawan b Al-Amin Hossain 2 (4b)

Bangladesh have won the toss and opted to bowl against India in the opening match of the Asia Cup T20 at Mirpur on Wednesday.

Dhoni is playing having apparently recovered from a back spasm. Kohli who was rested for the Sri Lanka series returns at the expense of Rahane.

India:  S Dhawan, RG Sharma, V Kohli, SK Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, HH Pandya, RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, JJ Bumrah, A Nehra

Bangladesh: Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mohammad Mithun, Al-Amin Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed

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