Indian Cricket Team showed a poor display of fielding during the first match of the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh. India’s batters failed to put in a respectable total for the team as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals of time. However, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul managed to lead India to a respectful score of 186 as they were bowled out in 41.2 overs.
Bangladesh displayed a brilliant performance with the ball as allrounder Shakib Al Hasan bagged his 4th five-wicket haul. Alongside Shakib, Ebadot Hossain was superb in his short balls to pick 4/47 in 8.2 overs. In response, many didn’t expect that Indian bowlers would be able to fight back but seamer Deepak Chahar struck in the very first delivery of the inning.
Chahar and Mohammad Siraj gave Bangladesh some early blows. Off-spinner Washington Sundar also made full use of the slow pitch and picked up two wickets which included the priceless scalp of Shakib courtesy of a brilliant catch by Virat Kohli. Indian bowlers kept things in their hands and reduced the Tigers to 136/9 in 39.3 overs. However, it was only Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s day as he took his team to victory by putting a 51 runs partnership with Mustafizur Rahman for the tenth wicket.
“It was India’s game, they had taken nine wickets”- Mohammad Kaif
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif talked about the match and shared his thoughts on where the Indian team went wrong and what things they could’ve avoided which cost them the match.
“It was India’s game, they had taken nine wickets. The bowling was excellent, they got India back into the game after the batters had a bad day. The bowling covered up for that until the 40th over, but the last 10 overs, who is our death bowler? Is it Deepak Chahar or Kuldeep Sen?” Kaif was quoted as saying.
“We dropped catches. KL Rahul doesn’t keep that often. He is a good fielder, he ran out Litton Das with a direct hit from the deep in the 20-20 World Cup. Sundar didn’t dive to try and take the catch, The fielders were seen under pressure. We made mistakes under pressure. We bowled wide balls and no-balls. You have to overcome pressure if you have to win the World Cup. That is how a team emerges, whether you talk about New Zealand or England, who are at the top in white-ball cricket.” He added.
