Dubai: Ravindra Jadeja (4/29) made a roaring return to limited overs cricket with a brilliant spell, helping India dismiss Bangladesh for 173 before skipper Rohit Sharma (83 n o, 104b, 5×4, 3×6) led his side to an emphatic seven-wicket victory in a Asia Cup Super Four match here, Friday.
Chasing a small target of 174, Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan (40, 47b, 4×4, 1×6) gave India a wonderful start adding 61 runs before the latter’s dismissal. Rohit involved in two another useful partnerships – first a 45-run stand with Ambati Rayudu (13) for the second wicket before forging a 64-run third wicket stand with MS Dhoni (33, 37b, 3×4). Then Dinesh Karthik joined his skipper in the middle and took India home with ease in the 37th over.
Earlier, the seasoned pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/32) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/37) made life tough for the opposition. The saving grace for Bangladesh was the 66-run stand for the eighth wicket between Mehidy Hasan Miraz (42, 50b, 2×4, 2×6) and captain Mashrafe Mortaza (26, 32b, 2×6) before they were bundled out in 49.1 overs.
Bangladesh lost their openers Liton Das (7) and Nazmul Hossain Shanto (7) by the sixth over. From 15 for two, the experienced pairing of Shakib Al Hasan (17) and Mushfuqir Rahim (21) had a task of rebuilding the innings but the former fell to a loose shot off Jadeja.
Jadeja then removed Mohammad Mithun (9), reducing Bangladesh to 60 for four in the 16th over. In his next over, he sent back Rahim, leaving Bangladesh in deep trouble.
Mahmudullah (25) and Mossadek Hossain (12) batted sensibly, sharing a 36-run stand for the sixth wicket, before the former’s departure. Much to their relief, Mortaza and Miraz stitched a much needed partnership to give their bowlers something to bowl at.
