From bad to worse. That’s how Bangladesh have been on this India tour.
Just as the Rohit Sharma-led side made — and were also allowed to make — merry in the two Tests, Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates meted out the same treatment to the visitors in the T20Is. After hammering Bangladesh by seven wickets in Sunday’s opener in Gwalior, India clobbered them by 86 runs in the second T20I at the Ferozeshah Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday to seal the series with ridiculous ease and a game left.
In terms of runs, this was India’s biggest T20I win against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s listless showing aside, credit has to be given to young Nitish Kumar Reddy (74 off 34 balls) and IPL star Rinku Singh (53 off 29) as their innings were hugely significant in powering India to 221/9 following a troublesome start.
India's Rinku Singh plays a shot during the second T20 International cricket match between India and Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. PTI
With more cracks on the Kotla surface, the ball gripped a little bit and India were struggling at 41/3 in the last over of Powerplay, after being put in. Besides, Mustafizur Rahman’s change of pace foxed captain Surya during that period.
But, Bangladesh being Bangladesh, what India needed was just an opening to regain control. In the ninth over, Reddy, then on 13, hit one straight to extra cover. But the bowler, Mahmudullah, had over-stepped. The free hit then sailed over long-on for a maximum before Reddy added further insult to injury by smashing a boundary in the last ball of that over.
Thereafter, he smoked leg-spinner Rishad Hossain for a couple of sixes while Rinku got a four and a maximum off the bowler, notching up 24 runs off that 10th over. There was no holding back Reddy and Rinku then.
Proving why his state team Andhra and Sunrisers Hyderabad value him, all-rounder Reddy, batting at No.4, unleashed his big-hitting prowess at the right time, racing past senior partner Rinku. However, it was Rinku’s enterprising start which helped ease it out for Reddy, as their 108-run fourth-wicket stand in just eight overs took the wind out of Bangladesh’s sails.
The target was always going to be out of their reach as Bangladesh limped their way to 135/9. Man of the Match Reddy struck with the ball too, dismissing Tanzim Hasan Sakib before making Mahmudullah feel worsein his farewell series. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy (2/19)delivered again, while therest of the bowlers too were among wickets.
