India Record Easy Win

Stand-in Indian Captain Virender Sehwag and his young Indian team disposed Bangladesh, in what turned out to be a rather predictable and sedate affair.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat on another slow, low track. India resting big guns Sourav Ganguly, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh went in with Aavishkar Salvi, Amit Mishra, Sarandeep Singh and Ajit Agarkar as their primary bowling attack.

Bangladesh got off to a sluggish start, when young batsman Mohammad Ashraful was cleaned up by an Agarkar delivery. The experienced Mehrab Hossain and Habibul Bashar combined, and things got rolling for Bangladesh. The two put on a 34 run partnership before Mehrab was dismissed by Sanjay Bangar for 30.

Javed Omar didn't last too long, out for just one run, giving Sarandeep Singh off his bowling. Habibul Bashar proved to be a thorn in the inexperienced Indian side, continued to accumilate his runs with confident strokes all around the wicket.

Rising young star Alok Kapali didn't offer much support as he was dismissed by Sarandeep for just 9. Bashar and veteran batsman Akram Khan once again started the re-building process for Bangladesh as Habibul Bashar brought up a well deserved half century.

With the scorecard on 4/124, Habibul Bashar departed as Ajit Agarkar struck through. Bashar gone for 50, and Bangladesh slided more into trouble. Khalid Mashud fell next for 12, as leg spinner Amit Mishra picked up his first scalp for the day.

Akram Khan and new skipper Khalid Mahmud provided some resistance, as the two combined 24 runs towards the total, before Indian skipper Virender Sehwag dismissed veteran Akram Khan for 35. Mohammad Rafique was cleaned up by the accurate Aavishkar Salvi, and Agarkar dismissed Khalid Mahmud for 23 as Bangladesh struggled their way to a total of 207 all out.

The Delhi opening pair of Sehwag and Gambhir got things cracking in a typically explosive fashion. Sehwag creaming anything short, overpitched or of a wrong line and length straight to the boundary. Gambhir however was just as brutal picking up the boundaries at will.

With a 69 run opening stand in just 12 overs, Virender Sehwag threw his innings away being dismissed for 43 off 44 balls off the bowling of Mohammad Rafique. The run rate slowed down when diminutive wicket keeper Parthiv Patel came in at number three. Patel happy to give support to the aggressive Gambhir.

With the score at 117, Patel fell for a solid innings of 27 off the bowling of Alok Kapali. Mohammad Kaif, star of the game against South Africa, looked solid and aggressive as he struck a big blow for six. Gambhir meanwhile brought up his maiden ODI half century, and looked to go on.

However the partnership ended when Kaif was run out to a good piece of fielding from Alok Kapali and Mehrab Hossain.
Kaif falling for 20, but India still looking very safe. All Rounder Sanjay Bangar came to the middle with immediate impact, as he struck a big six. Bangar's impact was to be short lived however as he was adjudged LBW to Mohammad Rafique.

Next over, dangerman Gambhir fell for a glorious innings of 71, as the debutant Abhijit Kale, and struggling Indian batsman Dinesh Mongia were left to guide India home. India suffered another bump though as Kale departed for 10 giving Mohammad Ashraful his first wicket of the match.

But the fightback was too late for Bangladesh, as Agarkar and Mongia wrapped things up for India in the 43rd over, giving them victory over Bangladesh by 4 wickets, and being undefeated in the TVS Cup.


Brief Score Summary:

Bangladesh: 207 All Out (Bashar 50, Akram Khan 35, Agarkar 3/36, Sarandeep 2/34)

India: 208/6 (Gambhir 71, Sehwag 43, Rafique 2/42, Kapali 2/41)

India Won By 4 Wickets

Cricket Web Player of the Match: Gautam Gambhir (IND)


Posted by Sangrah