Asia Cup 2014: India comprehensively beat Bangladesh by six wickets

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli reacts after scoring a century (100 runs) during the second match of the Asia Cup one-day cricket tournament between Bangladesh and India at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, on the outskirts of Dhaka on February 26, 2014.

Fatullah (Bangladesh), Feb 26 (IANS) Powered by Virat Kohli‘s 19th century, India romped home to a comprehensive six-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second One-Day International (ODI) of the Asia Cup held at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium on Wednesday.

Knowing India’s strengths as a chasing pack, skipper Kohli put Bangladesh in to bat first. The hosts put up a strong batting show to notch up a challenging total of 279/7, which India chased down in 49 overs.

A 213-run third-wicket partnership between Kohli (136) and Ajinkya Rahane (73) helped India earn a sweet revenge over their 2010 Asia Cup encounter loss to Bangladesh. Kohli’s second highest ODI score and Rahane’s fourth half-century guided the five-time champions to a comfortable win in their opening game of the tournament.

India started off steadily with opener Shikhar Dhawan (28) and Rohit Sharma (21), who kept the scoreboard ticking. However, the visitors received a jolt when both got out in a span of 10 balls and four runs (54/2). In came Kohli and Rahane, who struck a fantastic partnership at a run-rate of 6.48 per over.

The India captain hit 16 boundaries and two sixes in his knock before being finally yorked by pacer Rubel Hossain with India only 13 runs away from victory. Rahane also got out soon and Ambati Rayudu (9 not out) and Dinesh Karthik (2 not out) only had to complete the formalities.

Earlier, Bangladesh were steered to a challenging total after captain Mushfiqur Rahim played a captain’s knock of 117 runs off 113 deliveries, comprising seven fours and two sixes.

The hosts got off to a slow start with opener Shamsur Rahman (7) perishing early on. Mominul Haque (23) tried to build a partnership with wicketkeeper-batsman Anamul Haque (77) before being smartly stumped by India keeper Karthik (49/2).

Then, Haque joined hands with the 25-year-old Rahim to build a 133-run third-wicket partnership. Anamul scored his first half-century, consisting five boundaries and three huge sixes.

After Haque was bowled by Varun Aaron, Rahim continued his onslaught on the Indian bowling. He particularly hammered Aaron, who reverted by bowling a full toss which hit the Bangladeshi captain on his chest. Aaron was immediately taken off the attack by the umpires as this was his second above-the-waist delivery.

The Jharkhand pacer ended up conceding 74 runs from 7.5 overs, the second-highest by a bowler against Bangladesh after United Arab Emirate’s Khurram Khan, who conceded 78 earlier.

Rahim went on to complete his second century and held the Bangladeshi innings together. India scalped Naeem Islam (14) and Nasir Hossain (1) in quick succession before Ziaur Rahman (18) also fell after clearing the boundary line thrice.

The home captain finally got caught in the last over, trying to accelerate. But he had done the job for his country, anchoring Bangladesh to a competitive total.

Pacer Mohammed Shami was pick of the Indian bowlers, taking four wickets from his quota of 10 overs and being economical at the start of the innings.

India next play Sri Lanka on Friday.

SCORECARD:

Bangladesh:

Anamul Haque b Aaron 77

Shamsur Rahman c and b Mohammed Shami 7

Mominul Haque st Karthik b Ashwin 23

Mushfiqur Rahim c Sharma b Mohammed Shami 117

Naeem Islam c Ashwin b Mohammed Shami 14

Nasir Hossain c Karthik b Mohammed Shami 1

Ziaur Rahman c Aaron b Kumar 18

Sohag Gazi not out 3

Mashrafe Mortaza not out 1

Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 12, nb 2) 18

Total (for seven wickets in 50 overs) 279

Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Shamsur Rahman, 5.1 overs), 2-49 (Mominul Haque, 12.1), 3-182 (Anamul Haque, 36.6), 4-231 (Naeem Islam, 43.6), 5-241 (Nasir Hossain, 45.4), 6-270 (Ziaur Rahman, 48.5), 7-276 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 49.3)

Bowling:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar 8-1-41-1

Mohammed Shami 10-1-50-4

Varun Aaron 7.5-0-74-1

Ravichandran Ashwin 10-1-50-1

Ravindra Jadeja 10-0-37-0

Ambati Rayudu 3-0-17-0

Virat Kohli 1.1-0-6-0

India:

Rohit Sharma b Ziaur Rahman 21

Shikhar Dhawan lbw b Abdur Razzak 28

Virat Kohli b Rubel Hossain 136

Ajinkya Rahane c sub (Imrul Kayes) b Sohag Gazi 73

Ambati Rayudu not out 9

Dinesh Karthik not out 2

Extras (lb 1, w 9, nb 1) 11

Total (for four wickets in 49 overs) 280

Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Dhawan, 11.2 overs), 2-54 (Sharma, 12.5), 3-267 (Kohli, 45.4), 4-272 (Rahane, 47.3)

Bowling:

Mashrafe Mortaza 9-1-44-0

Rubel Hossain 10-1-63-1

Abdur Razzak 10-0-55-1

Ziaur Rahman 5-0-20-1

Sohag Gazi 8-0-49-1

Mominul Haque 2-0-13-0

Naeem Islam 1-0-15-0

Nasir Hossain 4-0-20-0

Match details:

Toss: India chose to field

Umpires: Billy Bowden (New Zealand) and Nigel Llong (England)

TV umpire: Raveendra Wimalasiri (Sri Lanka)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand)