Matches that have a lot riding on them show a team’s true character. Many collapse under pressure while some rise to the occasion and show their class. India have a made a habit of showcasing their artistry when the stage is grand. As they have done regularly in this tournament, the defending champions brushed aside their opponent to seal a convincing win.
India qualified for the ICC Champions Trophy final for the fourth time, the most in tournament’s history with an impactful nine-wicket win over Bangladesh. The tournament favourites will now have a chance to defend their title when they meet Pakistan in the deciding clash on Sunday.
After bowlers restricted Bangladesh to a below-par 264-7, India’s top-order fired in unison as the target was achieved with 59 balls to spare. In-form Shikhar Dhawan cracked 46 from 34 balls, Rohit Sharma compiled a delightful unbeaten century (123 off 129 balls) and a dominant Virat Kohli struck 96 off 78 balls to secure an easy win. At no point during India’s chase did the batters looked in trouble. The short balls were dispatched to the boundary and those pitched up were timed to perfection. It was Yuvraj Singh’s 300th ODI appearance for India, but the star all-rounder was not required to wield his willow as the 178 runs stand between Rohit and Virat did enough damage. India through their massive win also delivered a statement of intent that going past them in the final will require a special effort.
Earlier, India’s fifth bowler turned out to be their crucial weapon as not only did it help in breaking a crucial stand but also resulted in stemming the flow of runs. Virat had no option but to turn to Kedar Jadhav after Hardik Pandya’s four over had cost 34 runs. The 100 plus stand between Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim for the third wicket had lasted 20 overs and was turning and was frustrating the Indian bowlers.
Kedar took the pace off and with his round arm action created an angle that proved difficult for the two batsmen to work around. Tamim was looking to slog sweep him, but missed the line and was bowled as India broke the crucial stand. Kedar then dismissed Mushfiqur, who hit straight to Virat at short mid-wicket.
The two wickets brought India back into the game and stopped Bangladesh’s bid for a strong comeback. Bhuvneshwar stuck in his first over as Soumya Sarkar chopped one straight onto the stumps. An expert swing bowler, Bhunvneshwar bowled tight lines and often troubled the batsmen. He also removed Sabbir Rahman in a traditional dismissal built by creating pressure. Having come out with an aggressive approach to unsettle the bowlers, India mounted pressure by bowling 13 straight dot balls. Rahman tried to break shackles by cutting loose but ended up hitting straight to Ravindra Jadeja at point. Bangladesh were 31-2 in the seventh over, but the third wicket stand helped them recover.
India again bowled well in the second passage and picked wickets regularly in the latter stage. Hardik had Tamim caught at mid on off just his second ball, but he overstepped and it was declared a no-ball. He had another go at Tamim when the batsman chopped the ball back onto the stumps, but Hardik overstepped again and the Bangladesh opener survived again.
Brief Score: Bangladesh 264/7 in 50 overs (Tamim 70, Mushfiqur Rahim 61, Jasprit Bumrah 2/40) lose to India 265/1 in 40.1 overs (Rohit Sharma 123 not out, Virat Kohli 96 not out, Shikhar Dhawan 46) by 9 wickets.
Man of the Match: Rohit Sharma for his 123 not out (129b, 15x4, 1x6)
