India chased down the modest 128-run target in the 12th over to hand Bangladesh a huge defeat in the series opener at the New Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Gwalior on Sunday. The hosts take a 1-0 lead in the three-match bilateral series. (Highlights | More Cricket News)
Men In Blue successfully chased the target with seven wickets and 49 balls to spare in their innings. This is India's biggest win with the number of balls left when the target is more than 100 runs in T20I cricket.
Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson gave a flying start but Sharma got involved in a huge mix-up while taking a single run in the second over's last delivery and lost his wicket due to Towhid Hridoy's direct throw.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav welcomed Mustafizur Rahman with a six and was looking in fine touch but got out when he found Jaker Ali near the boundary rope on Rahman's delivery. He made 29 off just 14 balls.
The debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy was sent to bat at number four ahead of former captain Hardik Pandya and he played an unbeaten knock of 16 runs off just 15 balls. Samson also made 29 runs off 19 balls including six fours.
Pandya looked good from the first delivery he faced. He hit five fours and two sixes in his 39-not-out inning off just 16 balls. He smashed three consecutive boundaries in the 12th over bowled by Taskin Ahmed to finish the match.
Earlier, India invited Bangladesh to bat first in the newly constructed ground of Gwalior. As expected, Mayank Yadav and Reddy made their respective international debuts.
Arshdeep Singh removed Litton Das in the first over and Parvez Hossain Emon in the third to put Bangladesh on the back foot. Najmul Hossain Shanto tried to rebuild the innings with many batters but wickets kept flowing from the other end.
Shanto was removed by Washington Sundar courtesy of a delicate caught and bowl. Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz played some beautiful shots and kept the scoreboard running. He remained unbeaten on 35 when Singh dismantled the wickets of Mustafizur Rahman in the final over to finish Bangladesh's inning.
India took an early lead in the series and now will move to New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium where the second T20I will be played on Wednesday, 9th October.
