T20 WC: Hardik, Kuldeep shine as India defeat Bangladesh by 50 runs

ST JOHN’S(Antigua): India took one step ahead in their pursuit of semifinal qualification as they beat Bangladesh by 50 runs in their ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights clash at Antigua on Saturday, with Hardik Pandya’s all-round show and a destructive spell by Kuldeep Yadav being the highlights.

India is at the top of the Group 1 points table with two wins in two games and will play second-placed Australia on June 24. Bangladesh, with two losses, is placed at the bottom and out of the semifinal race.

In the run-chase of 197 runs, Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das started off with some fine, positive intent. Tanzid attacked Arshdeep Singh while Litton took Axar Patel’s spin to the cleaners.

Their 35-run partnership ended as Hardik Pandya dismissed Litton for 13 in 10 balls, with a four and six. Suryakumar Yadav took a fine catch at square leg.

At the end of the powerplay in six overs, Bangladesh was 42/1. Bangladesh reached their 50-run mark in 7.5 overs. A promising stand between Tanzid and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was cut short by spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who trapped him leg-before-wicket for 29 in 31 balls, with four boundaries. Bangladesh was 66/2 in 9.4 overs.

Halfway through the innings, Bangladesh was 67/2, with Towhid Hridoy (1*) and Shanto (21*) unbeaten. Bangladesh was still in the game, with Shanto smashing Pandya for two sixes in the ninth over.

Kuldeep trapped Hridoy for just four runs, dismissing him lbw. Bangladesh was 76/3 in 11.1 overs. Shanto and Shakib al Hasan joined forces to revive the chase, but just when the team wanted to touch 100 runs, Kuldeep struck for the third time and Shakib (11 in seven balls) gave a catch to Rohit Sharma at extra cover. Bangladesh was 98/4 in 13.3 overs. Bangladesh reached the 100-run mark in 14 overs.

Jasprit Bumrah got the big wicket of skipper Shanto for 40 in 32 balls, with a four and three sixes. Arshdeep Singh took a fine catch. Bangladesh was 109/5 in 15.3 overs, still needing 88 runs to win.

Pacers took the charge at the backend of the innings, with Arshdeep cleaning up Jaker Ali for one run with Virat Kohli providing the assistance, while Bumrah removed Rishad Hossain (24 in 10 balls, with a four and three sixes) with a catch from Rohit in the cover region. Bangladesh was 138/7 in 18.3 overs.

Bangladesh ended their innings at 146/8 in their 20 overs, with Mahedi Hasan (5*) and Tanzim Hasan Sakib (1*) unbeaten.

Kuldeep (3/19) was the top wicket-taker for India, while Bumrah (2/13) and Arshdeep (2/30) also bowled well. Pandya also got a wicket.

Earlier, Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten fifty guided India to 196/5 against Bangladesh in their second match of the Super 8s of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to field against India in their second Super 8 fixture of the ongoing marquee event.

Batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli started off the innings for the Men in Blue. Both batters put on a partnership of 39 runs from 22 balls before Rohit was dismissed after scoring 23 runs in 11 balls with the help of three fours and a six.

Following the skipper’s wicket, the side’s wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant, came out in the middle. Team India completed fifty on the penultimate ball of the sixth over as Kohli slammed a maximum on the bowling of left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rehman.

India lost two wickets in the ninth over. Right-arm seamer Tanzim Hasan Sakib took the wickets of the former India skipper (37 runs off 28 balls, 1 four, 3 sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (6 runs off 2 balls, 1 six).

Following the loss of these two wickets, Team India’s score was 77/3 in 8.3 overs. The Rohit Sharma-led team completed the 100-run mark in 11.2 overs as Pant smashed a six on the bowling of leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.

Pant was sent back to the pavilion in the 12th over after playing an innings of 36 runs in 24 balls, which was laced with four boundaries and two maximums. The team scored 150 runs in the 17th over.

Shivam Dube played a knock of 34 runs from 24 balls with the help of three maximums before going back to the dressing room. Hardik Pandya played an unbeaten innings of 50 runs in just 27 balls with the help of four fours and three sixes in his innings.

For Bangladesh, two wickets each were snapped by Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Rishad Hossain in their respective spells. One wicket was bagged by Shakib Al Hasan.

Brief Score: India 196/5 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 50*, Virat Kohli 37, Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2/32) beat Bangladesh: 146/8 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 40, Tanzid Hasan 29, Kuldeep Yadav 3/19). (ANI)