In an impressive display of cricketing prowess, India secured a commanding series victory against Bangladesh in the T20I series in New Delhi, overpowering their opponents with an emphatic 86-run victory. This decisive win, the largest margin with which India has defeated Bangladesh in T20Is, came in the second match of the three-game series, allowing India to clinch the series 2-0, with one game still to be played.
The formidable partnership between Nitish Reddy and Rinku Singh was the cornerstone of India’s triumph. The duo put on a spectacular 108-run stand for the fourth wicket, which propelled India to a formidable total of 221 runs after they were inserted to bat first by Bangladesh. The pitch at Delhi, as predicted pre-match, turned out to be a batter’s paradise, offering value for well-executed shots. However, Bangladesh had moments of assertion during the early PowerPlay overs when they justified their decision to bowl first by taking three quick wickets.
Initially, India appeared to start on a strong footing. Sanju Samson was swift in finding boundaries during Mehidy Hasan’s opening over. Alongside, Abhishek Sharma also contributed with a boundary in the same over. Despite a promising start, Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib struck in successive overs, followed by Mustafizur Rahman dismissing captain Suryakumar Yadav, leaving India in a precarious position at 45 runs within the PowerPlay.
Nevertheless, Rinku Singh and Nitish Reddy soon took control and began to dominate the spinners. A slog-swept six by Rinku off legspinner Rishad Hossain clearly outlined their aggressive intent. Nitish emulated this feat in the next over bowled by Mahmudullah. The tenth over was pivotal, as both batters decided to shift gears spectacularly; Rishad Hossain was brutally attacked for three sixes and a four, resulting in a staggering 24-run over. This strategic aggression was unabated even as pace was reintroduced in the attack – Nitish dispatched a six over long-on, and Rinku skillfully cut for a four, putting Mustafizur under duress.
.
Nitish Reddy reached a personal milestone, scoring his maiden international half-century in just 27 deliveries. This aggressive partnership between him and Rinku rapidly gained momentum. Their 100-run partnership was struck with brilliance against Mehidy Hasan, as Nitish smashed three sixes and a four before a slower one from Mustafizur found its mark, eventually dismissing him for an explosive 74 off 34 balls. At his dismissal, the tide had clearly turned in India’s favor, with Hardik Pandya carrying forward the momentum by attacking Rishad immediately upon his arrival.
Rinku Singh, not to be outshone, continued his assault with a sequence of boundaries and a six off Tanzim, marking his half-century off just 26 balls, completing his valuable contribution before succumbing to Taskin at deep midwicket. Hardik and Riyan Parag contributed valuable runs towards the end, pushing India’s score past the 200-run mark in the penultimate over. Even with a flurry of wickets falling towards the innings’ close, limiting India from amassing an even more massive score, the total of 221 proved imposing for Bangladesh.
In response, despite some brief fireworks from Parvez Hossain Meroz, who managed three boundaries in the opening over against Arshdeep Singh, Bangladesh’s innings unraveled swiftly. Arshdeep soon had his revenge by removing Meroz, and Washington Sundar made early inroads by claiming Najmul Hossain Shanto, caught at long on. The spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Abhishek Sharma further compounded Bangladesh’s woes, each hitting stumps in their initial overs. This pivotal spell saw Bangladesh struggling at 3 for 6 in a mere 14 balls, triggering their downward spiral.
Although Mahmudullah and Mehidy attempted to stabilize the innings, their efforts were short-lived when Mehidy sent the ball straight to long off. Nitish Reddy, completing his excellent all-round performance, also contributed with two wickets as the game approached its conclusion. At the end, India’s clinical performance prevailed, sealing a series victory in remarkable fashion.
Brief Scores: India posted 221/9 (Nitish Reddy 74, Rinku Singh 53; Rishad Hossain 3-55) and overwhelmed Bangladesh who managed 135/9 (Mahmudullah 41; Varun Chakravarthy 2-19), culminating in an 86-run win for India.