Costly catch drop ruins a good start
It all began brilliantly for the Tigers when Shafiul Islam got one to zip back into Rohit Sharma in the second over of the innings. The right-hander who had singlehandedly thwarted the Tigers with a massively important 85 in the second game, did the rest of the work for Shafiul, trying to flick a delivery from outside the off-stump and managing an inside edge that disturbed his stumps.
A great start but KL Rahul was showing early signs of dominating the Bangladesh attack with some nifty strokes while Shikhar Dhawan kept trying to break loose. Having danced down the wicket to a couple of Bangladesh bowlers but not being able to connect, Dhawan finally skied one off Shafiul and captain Mahmudullah Riyad got under it at deep midwicket to remove the opener for 19.
Shafiul was charged up and Shreyas Iyer who had only just came in was on 1 when he failed to cut away a delivery properly and managed to lob it to Aminul Islam at point. The ball hung in the air and with Shafiul about to celebrate, Aminul dropped it. It would turn out to be a defining moment of the game.
Rahul and Shreyas Iyer took guard and were contend to bide their time in the middle after the early lapses. They waited for a release and it came in the form of strike bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who often tried to drop it short and hard onto the pitch. The deliveries had some good carry but it became predictable, helped by some loose deliveries from the left-armer as well. Rahul saw the opportunity and picked Mustafizur off to begin gaining momentum. 21 came from Fizz's first two overs and Rahul raised his bat after a fine fifty off just 33 deliveries. India were fast taking the game away from the Tigers.
Luckily Bangladesh had a comeback in them when Al Amin changed the pace of the delivery and lured Rahul into a front foot drive over mid-off. Rahul tried to play it early but the ball just looped to Liton at mid-off. Bangladesh still had to pay for that catch drop and Iyer took charge. In the 15th over, Iyer pounded three sixes off Afif Hossain and brought up his fifty in the same over.
It was the slow medium pace of Soumya Sarkar that saw Bangladesh restrict India to below 200. First it was Risabh Pant who tried to whack one through mid wicket but missed the length and the line to see his stumps castled. Four deliveries later Iyer skied one, not managing the power he had envisioned and was holed out at long off. The damage had been done however as Iyer had added 61 runs after being dropped on 1. He picked up the runs at a fast rate as well. His 33-ball 62 containing three fours and five sixes.
Mustafizur leaked 21 more from his last two overs with Manish Pandey playing a handy knock as India reached 174/5 inn 20 overs.
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