ADELAIDE : Fifties from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul helped India reach a powerful 184/6 in their 20 overs in their Group 2, Super 12 match of ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in Adelaide on Wednesday.
Virat (64*) had an historic outing as not only his score powered India to a huge total, but he also became highest run scorer in T20 World Cup history. K L Rahul (50) also found form. Hasan Mahmud (3/47) was pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh. Made to bat first by Bangladesh, India was off to a shaky start. Medium pacer Hasan Mahmud dismissed skipper Rohit Sharma for just 2 runs off 8 balls. India was 11/1 in 3.2 overs. The Men in Blue were off to a slow start and were tested by some movement of the ball and pace of the Bangladesh bowlers.
Virat Kohli was next up on crease and he started a partnership with K L Rahul. K L looked in good touch and took the Bangladesh bowlers to attack after a slow start. Virat also expressed his attacking intentions from the get go. At the end of power play in 6 overs, India was at 37/1, with Kohli (13*) and Rahul (21*) unbeaten. Virat kept striking the ball well and became the highest run-scorer in T20 World Cup history, overtaking Sri Lankan great Mahela Jayawardene.
Shoriful Islam’s 9th over brought 24 runs for India. A 50-run stand was up between Virat-K L in just 32 balls. K L looked far better than he had looked in recent months, bringing up his fifty in just 31 balls, his 20th in the format. However, K L was dismissed immediately after his fifty by Shakib al Hasan after a catch by Mustafizur Rahman at short fine leg. K L was back in the pavilion for 50 off 32 balls and India was 78/2 in 9.2 overs. The 36-ball 67-run stand between the duo was over.
Suryakumar Yadav, the recently crowned number-one T20I batter came to crease to join Kohli. The duo took India into the second half of their innings safely. At the end of 10 overs, India was at 86/2, with Virat (24*) and Suryakumar (7*). Suryakumar took the aggressor role with Virat at the other end, smacking some fine boundaries. However, Shakib got his second wicket of the match by dismissing him for a quickfire 30 off 16 balls. Suryakumar was trying to slash the ball but missed it and it hit his stumps. India was 116/3 in 13.3 overs.
Hardik Pandya was next up on the crease. At the end of 15 overs, India was at 130/3, with Kohli (40*) and Pandya (5*). Pandya’s short run at the crease ended in 6 balls at a score of 5 runs. Mahmud got his first scalp with Yasir Ali catching at the backward point. India was at 130/4 in 15.1 overs.
Dinesh Karthik was at number six, with a responsibility to come through with his finishing skills. Virat brought up his 36th T20I fifty, his third in the tournament, in just 37 balls. Karthik’s stay at the crease was short too as it ended after an unfortunate run-out. India was at 150/5 in 17 overs, with Karthik back in the hut for seven runs.
Axar Patel was next up. The Bangladesh Tigers kept pulling things in their favour, this time with the dismissal of Axar for 7. Mahmud got his third wicket of the match. Ravichandran Ashwin joined Virat. Virat took India into the 170s with a four and six in the last two balls of 19th over.
Both helped India post 184/6 in their 20 overs. Virat scored an unbeaten 64 off 44 balls with eight fours and a six. Ashwin also scored 13*. Mahmud was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh, he took 3/47. Shakib also took two wickets.
Brief Scores: India: 184/6 (Virat Kohli 64*, KL Rahul 50, Hasan Mahmud 3/47). (ANI)