5 memorable moments from the India-Bangladesh match that don't fade away

India edged out Bangladesh after what could possibly be the best match of the tournament so far. MS Dhoni's sharp keeping and a collapse by Bangladesh handed the hosts a 1-run win. The Tigers needed just 2 runs to win with 3 balls to spare and 4 wickets in hand. The situation was such that Mushfiqur Rahim was seen punching the air in delight after hitting Pandya for successive fours in the final over.

However, the match was flipped on its head as each of the final 3 balls resulted in a wicket to the shock of the Bangladeshi bench. India kept their semifinal hopes alive with this win, while Bangladesh bowed out of the tournament with 3 losses in as many matches.

There were several unforgettable moments throughout the match that don’t fade away, quite like the Axe Signature line of body perfumes. Here are 5 moments which will remain in the fans' memories for a long time:

#1 – Soumya takes another blinder

People will remember Soumya Sarkar for plucking out a catch with his juggling skills on the boundary ropes in the game versus Pakistan in Kolkata. In Bangalore, he decided to add his name a second time to the tournament’s highlights package by pulling off a stunning catch in the deep.

Hardik Pandya had just hit the ball around in the previous over and was looking dangerous. In the sixteenth over, he pulled a ball from Al-Amin Hossain – as the ball went flying straight towards the square leg boundary, Soumya appeared from nowhere, dived and hung on to the screamer.

The catch ensured that Indians finished their innings with at least 10 to 15 runs less.

#2 – The celebration

Hardik Pandya celebrates taking a catch to dismiss Mohammad Mithun.

Bangladesh lost its first wicket in the third over of the chase, when Mohammad Mithun decided to charge down to Ashwin and loft him over long on.

Considering that India was defending a total on the lower side, it was very important to have the crowd behind the team and to take early wickets.

Mithun’s mistimed hit when straight into the hands of Hardik Pandya patrolling the boundary, who took a straight forward catch. But the celebrations were animated. Similar celebrations followed as both the bowler and Virat Kohli overtly (and a tad bit animatedly) expressed their joy of picking up an early wicket.

It sure did pump up the crowd, which went on to become more and more raucous as the game progressed.

#3 The stumping

M S Dhoni of India celebrates the wicket of Sabbir Rahman

It’s the tenth over, Bangladesh is 69/2 and Sabbir Rahman is on 26 off 14 deliveries. There’s a dire need for a wicket and Suresh Raina decides to shoot one down leg side. Sabbir attempts a flick, but loses his balance – that too for a fraction of a second, before steadying himself again. In the brief moment, Dhoni has whipped the bails and appealed for a stumping.

Replays show that the India’s maverick wicketkeeper-batsman wasn’t even looking at the stumps while whipping the bails. His eyes were fixed on the batsman’s feet, and just when for a microsecond Sabbir’s back leg was in the air, Dhoni lit up the stumps. A second early or a second late, and the verdict would have been different.

Sabbir’s dismissal leads to Bangladesh losing a bit of momentum in the middle.

#4 – Offspin by Professor Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates the dismissal of Shakib Al Hasan.

Bangladesh is happily moving along towards the target, while Indian seamers are gifting them the bad deliveries to score boundaries off. Out comes Ravichandran Ashwin to bowl his last over.

The first one is an absolute peach. Slow, looped up, it draws the batsman forward and turns; inviting the outside edge from a dangerous looking Shakib alHasan. Raina grabs on to a simple opportunity at first slip.

Lefthanded Soumya Sarkar comes out to bat and Ashwin does a live demonstration of how to bowl off spin to southpaws. The second delivery of the over, grips and turns. Dot. Third delivery goes with the arm, fielded at covers. Dot. Fourth delivery misses the outside edge by a whisker. Dot. Fifth delivery draws Sarkar forward, but it lands and turns with spite. Dot again.

Sixth delivery is the carrom ball, the nervous batsman manages to make contact and takes a single. Ashwin ends the over with five dots, one wicket and just one run.

#5 – Dhoni’s dash to the stumps

The Indian team celebrate the wicket that led to the victory of India by 1 run.

With two needed off the last delivery, the match was eventually going to be decided on which team held its nerve.

After a slew of field changes, and mini-conferences in the middle of the pitch, Hardik Pandya walked up to the start of his run-up. The best fielders were already located strategically, and the Bangladeshi camp was nervous considering that it had lost two of its set batsmen on consecutivedeliveries.

It boiled down to the length of the delivery, and as revealed later, the bowler was certain about not wanting to bowl a Yorker. Pandya ran in and delivered a short of length ball outside off, the batsman expecting a Yorker on the stumps had moved away and made room for himself – as a result, ended up missing the delivery.

The non-striker made a dash towards the batting end to run the bye, while Dhoni who had collected it cleanly behind the stumps also ran towards the stumps to dislodge the bails. He could have thrown it, but why do it when you can do a Jonty.

It came down to a race between Dhoni and the nonstriker, Mustafizur and who reached the stumps (or crease) first. Dhoni did, breaking the stumps with the ball in his gloveless hand.

A sprint to remember!