India defeated Bangladesh by 41 runs in a Super 4 Asia Cup match in Dubai on Wednesday, guaranteeing their place in the final.
Bangladesh was bowled out for 127 runs in 19.3 overs while chasing a 169-run target as Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/29) spun their webs around their opponents.
With India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah dismissing Tanzid Hasan Tamim in his opening over, the Bangladeshi run chase never really got going.
Only opener Saif Hassan battled till the end, hitting five sixes and three fours in his 51-ball 69 until Axar Patel caught him just in front of the long-on boundary off Bumrah.
With this victory, India eliminated Sri Lanka and advanced to the final. The victor of the Pakistan-Bangladesh match will now play India in the final on Sunday.
A 37-ball-75 was hammered by Abhishek Sharma earlier, but Bangladesh rallied to hold India to 168/6.
When stand-in Bangladesh skipper Jaker Ali asked India to bat first, openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill made a startling tactical change during the powerplay.
After scoring just 17 runs in the first three overs, the gun openers sped to 72/0 at the end of the powerplay.
After being dropped on 7, Abhishek took the lead and soon after scored a 50 off 25 balls, his second consecutive half-century in the tournament.
But soon after the powerplay, Bangladesh broke the opening stand when leg-spinner Rishad Hossain dismissed vice-captain Shubman Gill for 29.
The night’s biggest surprise was when Shivam Dube was sent in ahead of skipper Suryakumar Yadav after being moved up the order.
As Dube joined a left-handed Abhishek in the crease, the move defied logic by failing to maintain a left-right combination in the middle.
The plan was a complete failure as Dube only scored 2 runs off 3 balls before trailing Gill back to the pavilion, which led to a slump in the middle overs.
Abhishek seemed destined for a century before a sharp piece of fielding from Rishad Hossain cut his innings short. He was run out for a blistering 75 off 37 balls, an innings laced with six fours and five sixes.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav, coming off a first-ball duck against Pakistan, scratched his way to 5 off 11 before falling to Mustafizur Rahman. Soon after, Tilak Varma also departed cheaply for 5.
India ended their innings at 168/6 when Axar Patel, who had been promoted ahead of Sanju Samson in another unexpected move, clawed his way to 10 off 15 balls.
