Team India’s journey in the United States of America began on a victorious note on Saturday. Rohit Sharma & Co. registered a comprehensive win against an underfire Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up fixture at Nassau County in New York.
India faced little trouble in defending the total as left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh found his bowling wares, leading the restriction of Bangladesh to 122 for nine.
There was a token fightback from Mahmudullah Riyaz (40) and Shakib Al Hasan (28), who milked 75 runs for the sixth wicket. But it helped Bangladesh only to reduce the margin of defeat after they were reduced to 41 for five.
Arshdeep, who had a less than satisfactory outing in the IPL for Punjab Kings, struck twice inside the Power Play, ousting Soumya Sarkar, caught behind by Pant, and Litton Das, who was bowled by a lovely in-curler from over the wicket.
Fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj added the wicket of Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (0) as they slipped to 10 for three in 3.5 overs, and it was too deep a hole to claw back against a competent bowling unit, which has good variety through the ranks.
The Indian bowlers also showed excellent skills to exploit a slow pitch which was also aided by an equally sluggish outfield where the ball did not roll along. Pacer Shivam Dube also chipped in with two wickets (2/11).
Earlier, Pant’s blazing fifty and vice-captain Hardik Pandya’s 40-run cameo guided the men in blue to 182/5 in 20 overs. In reply, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Dube picked up 2 wickets apiece as India restricted Bangladesh to 122/9 to win the game by 60 runs.
Pant reinforced his claim for a berth in India’s playing 11 for the T20 World Cup as the first-choice wicketkeeper batter with a flowing fifty. Making his international comeback after a horrific car crash in December 2022, the left-hand batter retired after making 53 of 32 balls on a slow track.
Shivam Dube, who was dropped on four, could not exploit the let-off and was dismissed for a 16-ball 14 and at that stage, India were 130 for four after 14.4 overs.
India needed some acceleration and Pandya provided just that. Pandya, who was dropped on 26, slammed three consecutive sixes off left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam which were a treat to watch for their power and neat execution.
His innings and confidence might have immensely pleased the team management and himself after a modest outing as Mumbai Indians’ captain in a season where he was subjected to intense professional and personal scrutiny.
(With PTI Inputs)
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