- Scorecard: India vs Bangladesh, 6th ODI
Virat Kohli scored a magnificent century as India convincingly beat Bangladesh by six wickets in the inconsequential sixth and final One-Day International of the Tri-Nation tournament, in Dhaka, on Monday.
The in-form Kohli, who registered his second hundred in the process -- having hit one against Sri Lanka at Kolkata last month -- was in complete control from the start as he raced to 102 off 95 deliveries, inclusive of 11 boundaries, as India, chasing 248 for victory, finished on 249 for four in 43 overs. He was deservedly named man-of-the-match.
Suresh Raina was unbeaten on 18 off as many deliveries.
Off-spinner Naeem Islam was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers, finishing with 2 for 35 from eight overs, his victims being Yuvraj Singh and Gautam Gambhir.
Earlier, half-centuries from captain Shakib Al Hasan and M Mahmudullah helped Bangladesh recover from a horrific start and post a competitive 247 for six in their 50 overs.
Mahmudullah finished unbeaten with 64 from 80 deliveries and Naeem Islam was not out on 22 from 14 deliveries as Bangladesh made a strong finish to their innings.
Shakib was caught behind off Ashish Nehra after a splendid innings of 85 from 97 deliveries, laced with five boundaries and a six. The left-hander added 106 runs in 128 deliveries for the sixth wicket with Mahmudullah, as the duo rescued the team from 95 for five at one stage.
Yuvraj Singh once again made a handy contribution with the ball, claiming one for 33 in his ten overs, while Sudeep Tyagi took one for 24 in six overs.
Bangladesh:
Sudeep Tyagi started the match with a maiden over but S Sreesanth was hit for a couple of boundaries in the second over by Imrul Kayes, as the bowler dropped it short and wide.
However, Kayes fell in the next over when he attempted to cut Tyagi but was taken by Virat Kohli at the point region for nine. (10-1, 2.1)
In the following over, S Sreesanth then got his first wicket when he bowled Mohammad Ashraful for four, courtesy an inside edge, as the batsman gave himself room and looked to hit one through the off-side. (15-2, 3.5)
After a few quiet overs, Raqibul Hasan broke the shackles with back-to-back boundaries off Tyagi in the ninth over. Tamim Iqbal, who didn't get much of the strike in the early overs, then repeated the dose on Sreesanth, hitting him for consecutive boundaries, as Bangladesh recovered to reach 53 for two after 11 overs.
Tyagi was exemplary in his first spell as he took one for 12 in five overs, including a maiden, but Sreesanth struggled while claiming one for 34 in five overs.
Just when it looked that the two batsmen were steadily heading towards building a good partnership, Tamim threw it away with a rash shot. The left-hander, who made 17 from 31 deliveries, tried to clear the mid-off fielder but didn't get enough elevation and was neatly held by Tyagi off Nehra. (60-3, 13.2)
Yuvraj Singh then compounded Bangladesh's woes as he came up with a smart piece of fielding off his own bowling to run-out Raqibul Hasan for 28. The left-arm spinner stopped the ball on his follow through before flicking it back on to the stumps between his legs to catch Hasan short of the crease at the non-striker's end. (67-4, 17.4)
Bangladesh's hopes now rested on captain Shakib Al Hasan, who kept the scoreboard ticking with boundaries in consecutive overs to take his team to 87 for four after 22 overs.
Mushfiqur Rahim's inexperience showed as he tried to play a few shots despite Bangladesh needing a big partnership to repair the damage. The youngster, who made seven, chipped one a flighted delivery from Yuvraj straight to Suresh Raina at covers to leave his team in further trouble. (95-5, 24)
M Mahmudullah and Shakib then resorted to repairing the damage as they concentrated on milking the bowling around and not taking any risks. Mahmudullah drove a full delivery from Mishra through the covers for a boundary to take Bangladesh past the 100-run mark in the 27th over.
Nehra came back for his second spell to replace the spinners, who had the batsmen in a tight leash, and immediately Mahmudullah decided to take charge. The right-hander hit Nehra for back to back boundaries to take Bangladesh to 118 for five after 30 overs.
Shakib got a much-needed lifeline when he was dropped on 38 by wicketkeeper Dhoni off Yuvraj off a thin outside edge in the 36th over.
With Jadeja and Yuvraj stopping the flow of runs, Shakib decided to break the shackles with a huge six as he slog swept Jadeja over midwicket. The very next delivery he brought up his half-century off 75 deliveries with a single on the leg side in the 39th over.
But Yuvraj once again proved difficult to get away as he bowled his quota of ten overs, claiming one for 33, with Bangladesh reaching 152 for five after 40 overs.
Bangladesh's batsmen threw caution to the wind in the last ten overs as 30 runs came from three overs, inclusive of three boundaries, as the scoreboard read 182 for five after 43 overs.
Shakib brought up the 100-run partnership off 124 deliveries for the sixth wicket with a cracking pull shot off Tyagi that went to the boundary. Off the next delivery he played the paddle sweep that sped into the fine leg boundary for the third four of the over as Bangladesh reached 200 for five after 45 overs with the Batting Powerplay also coming into effect.
Shakib tried to repeat the scoop behind the wickets against Nehra but holed out a simple catch to wicketkeeper Dhoni. The Bangladesh captain had led from the front with the bat with a cracking innings of 85 from 97 deliveries, hitting eight boundaries and a six. Shakib added 106 runs for the sixth wicket with Mahmudullah as the two batsmen changed gears efficiently after a cautious start. (201-6, 45.2)
Shakib had scored 50 runs from 75 deliveries, but the next 35 runs came from just 22 deliveries as he gave the run rate much-needed boost in the closing stages.
Mahmudullah took over the mantle after Shakib's departure as he lofted Mishra over the cover region for a boundary. A few deliveries later he slammed one straight down the ground for his first six as Bangladesh reached 223 for six after 47 overs, with 71 runs being scored off the last seven overs.
Naeem Islam finished off things in style when he smashed Nehra for a six and boundary in the final over to help the team post a healthy 247 for six in their 50 overs.
Mahmudullah finished unbeaten on 64, having hit five boundaries and a six in his 80-ball knock, and Naeem was not out on 22 from 14 deliveries. The two batsmen were involved in an unbroken stand of 46 runs from 28 deliveries.
The last ten overs had produced 95 runs for Bangladesh, the hosts managing just 47 in the last five overs, which included the fielding restrictions because of Batting Powerplay.
Tyagi was brilliant, claiming one for 24 in six overs, including two maidens, but surprisingly he was not given his full quota of overs. Yuvraj made a vital contribution with one for 33 in ten overs but Sreesanth and Nehra struggled in the final overs as they took one for 53 and two for 58 respectively.
Bangladesh must be relieved to get to this healthy total, but given the way India has batted in previous matches and the pitch has played through the tournament it looks well short of the par total.
But Bangladesh, with a cluster of spinners in their line-up, will definitely be fancying their chances especially if India lose a few early wickets.
India:
Dinesh Karthik got the first boundary for India when he cut a short delivery from Shafiul Islam through the point region in the second over of the match. Gautam Gambhir also had no problems in despatching a full delivery on the pads from Syed Rasel through midwicket for his first boundary as India reached 25 after just three overs.
The Bangladesh pacers posed no problems to the two opening batsmen in the early overs as India raced to 36 for no loss after five overs.
It was a disciplined and much improved performance by the Bangladesh pacers with just two boundaries coming in the next five overs, with India reaching 53 for no loss after ten overs.
Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak bowled a short delivery first up and Karthik was quick to pounce and thrash it over midwicket for the first six of the innings in the 11th over.
Islam made the breakthrough when he got the wicket of Karthik for 34, inclusive of three boundaries and a six in his 39-ball knock. Karthik tried to play a short delivery across the line on the leg side but got a bottom edge which was taken by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim. (64-1, 12)
But Islam suffered in his next over when Gambhir hit him for three consecutive boundaries to break the shackles somewhat as far as India was concerned, in the 14th over.
Gambhir then seemed to have lost his concentration as he charged down the wicket to Naeem Islam but missed the ball completely and was bowled after a steady innings of 41 from 45 deliveries, having hit five boundaries. (87-2, 15.3)
Kohli continued his rich vein of form as he hit Shakib for two back to back boundaries in the 17th over. The Delhi youngster raced to 24 from 21 deliveries, inclusive of four boundaries, as India reached 109 for two after 20 overs.
While Kohli seemed in complete control, Yuvraj Singh struggled at the start of his innings. He took 24 deliveries to hit his first boundary when he crashed a full delivery from Islam through the cover region.
But Islam had his revenge off the next delivery when he trapped Yuvraj leg before wicket for 13. Yuvraj played down the wrong line expecting the ball to come in but Islam bowled one that went straight, trapping the left-hander right in front of the stumps. (133-3, 23.4)
Kohli cruised to his half-century, his second in a row, off just 47 deliveries in the 28th over with India in control at 153 for three after 28 overs.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni also got busy from the moment he arrived at the crease. The India captain helped himself to a couple of boundaries off Mahmudullah through the covers to take his team to 165 for three after 30 overs.
It was turning out to be another comfortable run chase for India. Dhoni and Kohli helped themselves to a boundary each as India crossed the 200-run mark in the 36th over.
But Bangladesh had something to smile for when they got the wicket of Dhoni. The Indian captain, who made 32 from 35 deliveries, tried to hit Shakib straight down the ground but managed to hit it straight to Kayes at mid-on. (201-4, 36.1)
Suresh Raina wasted no time in getting started as he hit a boundary off the third ball he faced, from Shakib.
After 40 overs, India had reached a comfortable 223 for four in 40 overs, needing 25 from the last ten overs.
The Bangladesh fielding standards also take a sharp dip with Mohammad Ashraful dropping catches to let off Kohli and Raina in successive overs. Kohli, on 84, also got another lifeline when wicketkeeper Rahim failed to gather the ball and complete an easy stumping off Shakib in the 41st over.
But from then it was all over for Bangladesh, as Kohili completed his century and India were home with much to spare.
