This match was supposed to be a test of India’s bench strength. But Bangladesh stretched India to the hilt before pulling off a six-run victory in an inconsequential Asia Cup Super Fours match in Colombo on Friday.

The last time Bangladesh beat India was also in the Asia Cup in 2012 in Dhaka. The match was most remembered for Sachin Tendulkar’s 100th International century.

Shubman Gill led the 266-run chase with a superb 121 off 133 balls but there was hardly any other support besides Axar Patel’s adventurous 42 off 34 balls.

Gill departed in the 44th over after an innings of determination and application. Having lost Rohit Sharma to the second ball of the innings, Gill batted resolutely and the fall of regular wickets at the other end had no effect on him. It was his fifth ODI hundred and will rank among his best.

Having slog-swept Mehedi Hasan for a six, Gill tried to repeat the shot two balls later. The off-spinner had slowed down the delivery outside the off stump and Gill failed to reach it. He couldn’t get much power into the shot and was caught at long off.

Bangladesh captain Shakib-al Hasan during his 80-run knock on Friday. AP/PTI

India were 209 for 7 at that stage and needed 57 off 38 balls. Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur, both of whom had been preferred in the squad for their batting, were thrust with the task of taking India home.

An eventful 45th over from Nasum Ahmed followed. Axar hit him for a six and a four on the on-side, and there was a missed stumping too.

Axar excelled with smart use off his feet against the spinners. He hit Mehedi for a six and four in the 48th over. When Shardul fell to a superb diving catch at square leg, India needed 17 from the last two overs.

Axar departed two balls later and it was left to Mohammed Shami and Prasidh Krishna to get 12 off eight balls. But Tanzim Hasan mixed his slower deliveries deftly in the last over to deny India a victory.

Shakib-al Hasan had used his spinners smartly on helpful conditions. He brought the quicks back for overs 38-40, and then took them off and went back to spin when the last Powerplay began, with five fielders allowed on the boundary. Only 14 runs came from the first three overs of the final Powerplay.

Much of the focus was on how Suryakumar Yadav adapts to the conditions. He came in at the fall of Ishan Kishan’s wicket, who was dismissed trying to reverse-sweep. Surya came in and swept the first ball for a four.

Most Indian batters don’t play the sweep often, but it’s a key weapon for Surya, one of the fundamental tools behind his quick run-scoring ways against spin in the shortest format.

With only four fielders allowed on the boundary in the middle overs, Surya used the sweep intelligently as he reached 26 off 33 balls. But he fell trying to repeat the shot against Shakib, beaten by the pace and turn.

Earlier, captain Shakib and Towhid Hridoy led a strong Bangladesh recovery, reaching 265 for 8.