In a spectacular display of cricketing prowess, T20 champions India displayed why they were dubbed as such earlier this year by clinching a thumping seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh at Gwalior’s newly unveiled venue on Sunday. Outstanding performances by Indian bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Varun CV, who secured three wickets each, set the stage as they effectively restricted the visiting side to a modest score of 127. The Indian batters then took center stage, chasing down the target in just the 12th over, underscoring their dominance in the format.
Winning the toss, India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, opted to field first, a decision that paid rich dividends. Bangladesh’s batting effort floundered from the very first over. Litton Das, opening the batting for Bangladesh, sought to stabilize the innings but was dismissed early. He attempted to take on Arshdeep Singh but ended up skying a ball that was comfortably caught by Rinku Singh. The early breakthrough set the tone for the visiting team’s innings. Debutant opener Pervez Hossein Emon provided a brief respite with a flashy six off Hardik Pandya, but he too succumbed shortly thereafter, falling prey to Arshdeep’s disciplined bowling in the third over.
The home crowd was particularly eager to witness the debut of Mayank Yadav, who made an immediate impact. Coming on to bowl during the PowerPlay, Mayank delivered a rare maiden over, piling pressure on Towhid Hridoy. This pressure bore fruit as Varun CV capitalized on it, dispatching Hridoy with an expertly induced long-on catch by Hardik Pandya. Mayank’s fiery pace, reminiscent of his impressive run in this year’s IPL, added another feather to his cap as he claimed his maiden T20I wicket, dismissing the experienced Mahmudullah.
As wickets continued to tumble, Varun CV further marked his impressive return to the national T20I side by cleaning up Jaker Ali with a well-disguised googly. Varun concluded his spell with figures of 3/31 – a testament to his skill and experience. Though Bangladesh’s innings was largely subdued, Mehidy Hasan Miraz offered some resistance, helping his team surpass the 100-run mark before a double setback in the 18th over once again stymied their progress.
. Mayank capped off a remarkable debut with a frugal three-run 19th over, and Arshdeep ended the innings by bowling out Mustafizur Rahman, finalizing figures of 3/14.
With a modest target of 128 in sight, India showcased their prowess in PowerPlay batting. Sanju Samson got things rolling with a beautifully executed drive down the ground. Abhishek Sharma joined the effort emphatically, making Taskin Ahmed’s evening difficult with a powerful six. Despite losing Abhishek to a run-out early in the chase, India remained aggressive, aided by Suryakumar Yadav’s cavalier sixes with his distinctive, unorthodox style. Suryakumar swiftly piled on the runs before being dismissed in the sixth over. However, India finished the PowerPlay with an imposing score of 71/2, their highest ever against Bangladesh in T20Is and already more than halfway to the target.
Following the brief setback of losing Sanju Samson, India’s momentum never waned. By the match’s halfway point, the Indian side had amassed 106/3. Hardik Pandya then delivered a masterclass, executing a memorable no-look ramp shot for four, followed by another boundary and a commanding six to not only finish off the chase but to seal his unbeaten score of 39 from just 16 deliveries.
The match concluded with India reaching 132/3 in just 11.5 overs, wrapping up the victory with great efficiency and panache. Brief scores highlighted Bangladesh’s struggle at 127 in 20 overs, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz top-scoring with 35 not out, against impactful spells from India’s bowlers, Arshdeep Singh and Varun CV. India’s response was a polished display of batting, led by Hardik Pandya’s explosive unbeaten innings and tactical smartness, securing the match by a comfortable margin of seven wickets. As the series progresses, India will look to maintain this momentum while Bangladesh has areas to refine and strategies to reassess.