India Dispatch Bangladesh with Commanding T20 Victory
India’s young T20 squad showcased their depth and strength with a decisive seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first of three T20 internationals at Gwalior. Fielding a new-look side featuring two debutants, India made short work of the target, wrapping up the match with 49 balls to spare after restricting Bangladesh to a modest 127. This result underlines India’s dominance in the format, even as they test fresh faces and build depth for the future.
Arshdeep Leads with Precision
India’s pacer Arshdeep Singh was in fine form, striking early to destabilise Bangladesh’s top order. Known for his swing and precision, Arshdeep’s impact was immediate. He managed to draw Litton Das into a mistimed shot off just the second ball, setting the tone for Bangladesh’s struggle. As the opening bowler, he demonstrated why he’s becoming one of India’s most dependable T20 bowlers, maintaining an attacking line that left the Bangladesh batsmen on the back foot.
Arshdeep’s second over saw him remove Parvez Hossain Emon, who’d briefly threatened with a six off Hardik Pandya. Arshdeep ended with figures of 3 for 14, further cementing his reputation as a reliable wicket-taker, now standing fifth on India’s all-time T20 wicket-takers list with 86 scalps, just behind Yuzvendra Chahal’s 96.
Seam and Spin Combination Puts Bangladesh in a Bind
After Arshdeep’s initial strikes, debutant Mayank Yadav and the returning Varun Chakravarthy took centre stage. Mayank, fresh from injury, showed no signs of rust, delivering a maiden over to launch his T20 career and complementing Arshdeep’s efforts perfectly. Varun, back in India’s T20 colours after a three-year hiatus, was in his element with his mystery spin, causing all sorts of problems for the Bangladeshi middle order. He quickly made an impact, taking two key wickets to put Bangladesh under further pressure.
The combination of Mayank’s pace and Varun’s spin left Bangladesh struggling for momentum, forced to take risks that only led to further dismissals. The middle order found it impossible to break free, with Mahmudullah and Towhid Hridoy falling cheaply, unable to cope with India’s varied attack.
Lacklustre Finish from Bangladesh
By the time the death overs rolled around, Bangladesh’s prospects of setting a defendable target had all but vanished. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto attempted to anchor the innings, but his dismissal off Washington Sundar’s clever off-spin sealed their fate. Mehidy Hasan Miraz tried to add some respectability to the total, contributing a gritty 35 off 32 balls, yet there was little he could do against India’s discipline and consistency.
As the overs wound down, Arshdeep returned to clean up with a pinpoint yorker, leaving Bangladesh’s total at a mere 127 – a target that India’s explosive batting line-up would chase with ease.
India’s Clinical Chase
India’s response was nothing short of emphatic. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma wasted no time, accelerating India to 71 in the powerplay, their best-ever T20 powerplay score against Bangladesh. Samson’s elegance and Abhishek’s power proved a lethal combination. Abhishek’s run-out was a minor setback, but India continued to apply pressure, with Suryakumar Yadav taking over to keep the scoring rate high.
Suryakumar fell after a quick-fire 29, but by then, the chase was well in hand. Hardik Pandya ensured there were no further hiccups, smashing 39 off 16 balls, including a no-look ramp over the keeper’s head that summed up India’s confidence. India’s calculated aggression and clean hitting underscored their dominance and left Bangladesh reeling, marking the perfect start to the series.
