Thursday 25 February 2016

Cricket:India beat Bangladesh by 45 runs in opening match of Asia Cup


India beat hosts Bangladesh by 45 runs in the opening match of the 2016 Asia Cup in Dhaka, with Rohit Sharma smashing 83 from 55 balls.

India overcame a shaky start, recovering from 42-3 to post 166-6, with Sharma crucially dropped by Shakib-Al-Hasan in the 11th over.

Sharma - who had only scored 21 from 28 balls at the time - smashed 14 off his next three deliveries, and 62 from his next 27, as India added 114 in their final 10 overs.

Set 167 to win, only Sabbir Rahman (44 off 32 balls) scored more than 16 as Bangladesh limped to 121-7 - Ashish Nehra taking 3-22.

The Asia Cup is being played in T20 format for the first time in its 32-year history as the teams - Sri Lanka, Pakistan and UAE also participating - prepare for the World T20 in India in March.

After the home side won the toss and opted to bowl first on a rain-soaked surface, Al Amin Hossain (3-37) bowled opener Shikhar Dhawan for two, and skipper Mashrafe Mortaza removed Virat Kohli for eight.

Bangladesh applied the pressure further as Mahmudullah bowled Suresh Raina (13) in the eighth over, but the match turned as Shakib dropped Sharma at point off Taskin Ahmed.

Sharma made the hosts pay for the error by notching his third T20I fifty in six innings, and 10th overall, putting on half-century stands with Yuvraj Singh (15) and Hardik Pandya - who smashed a quickfire 31 off 18 balls.

In reply, Bangladesh lost both openers inside the first four overs, slipping to 15-2, with Nehra bowling Mohammad Mithun for one, and Jasprit Bumrah picking up Soumya Sarkar caught behind for 11.

Rahman helped recover things briefly but when he was the fifth wicket to fall in the 15th over, any hopes of an unlikely win for the home side went with him, Nehra finding himself on a hat-trick with the double-strike of Mahmudullah and Mortaza in the 17th.

Sri Lanka and UAE meet in the next Asia Cup clash on Thursday. Bangladesh are next in action on Friday also against the UAE, while India face Pakistan on Saturday.

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