Mehidy Hasan Miraz pulled off a terrific late heist as Bangladesh defeated India by one wicket and 24 balls to spare in the opening one-day international in Dhaka on Sunday.
Defending 187, India had managed to reduce Bangladesh to 136/9 with Mohammed Siraj picking up three wickets. But helped by some sloppy fielding, including a dropped catch off Mehidy, and a solid hand by No 11 Mustafizur Rahman, the hosts crossed the finish line.
Earlier, Shakib Al Hasan spearheaded an inspired Bangladesh bowling attack with five wickets to knock over India for 186.
KL Rahul managed to keep the visitors in the game, scoring 73 off 70 balls, while his teammates fell at regular intervals at the other end after Bangladesh elected to field to start the three-match series.
Allrounder Shakib, who bowls left-arm spin, claimed his fourth five-wicket ODI haul with an impressive 5-36 that included the key wickets of returning skipper Rohit Sharma (27) and Virat Kohli (nine).
Pace bowler Ebadot Hossain played the main supporting role to take four wickets and wrap up the Indian innings in 41.2 overs.
It was Shakib’s double strike that took the wind out of India’s batting.
He first bowled Rohit on the second ball of his opening over, before getting Kohli to hit into extra cover two balls later where captain Liton Das took a stunning one-handed catch.
Shreyas Iyer and Rahul, who comes into the side as wicketkeeper-batsman after regular glovesman Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the series with an injury, attempted to rebuild with a 43-run stand.
Ebadot broke through their defences, getting Iyer caught behind for 24 as India slipped to 92-4 in 20 overs.
Rahul stood firm and amassed another 60 runs with Washington Sundar (19), taking on the Bangladesh bowlers and bringing up his fifty with a boundary.
But Shakib ended that stand and any further resistance, getting Sundar caught going for a reverse sweep and then striking twice more to flatten the Indian batting.
Rahul, who hit five fours and four sixes, dragged the innings into the 40th over before falling to Ebadot with a mistimed pull shot that was lapped up by Anamul Haque in the deep.
Mehidy, coming in to bat at number eight, hit four fours and two sixes and survived a dropped catch by wicketkeeper KL Rahul on 17 to turn the match on its head.
Mehidy hit the winning runs in his 39-ball knock to trigger wild celebrations as the players came running onto the field and the home crowd erupted.
Mustafizur scored 10 off 11 balls as he and Mehidy stood firm to record a memorable win.
Bangladesh collapsed after a few good partnerships including a 48-run stand between skipper Liton Das and Shakib, who made 29.
Spinner Washington Sundar got Das out for 41 and then Shakib to a stunning one-handed catch at extra cover by Virat Kohli.
Bangladesh suffered a double blow in successive balls when Mahmudullah Riyad and Mushfiqur Rahim fell after a 33-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Bangladesh looked to be cruising at 128-4 in the 35th over, but lost their way after Mahmudullah fell lbw to Shardul Thakur and then Mohammed Siraj bowled Mushfiqur.
Debutant fast bowler Kuldeep Sen came back to pick up two wickets in the first over of his second spell to send back Afif Hossain and Ebadot Hossain.
Siraj snapped up Hasan Mahmud for his third wicket but Mehidy, who also got one wicket with his off spin, did the unthinkable with Mustafizur for company.
Bangladesh lead the three-match series 1-0 with the second match on Wednesday at the same venue.
Brief scores:
India: 186 all out in 41.2 overs (KL Rahul 73; Shakib Al Hasan 5/36, Ebadat Hossain 4/47).
Bangladesh: 187 for 9 in 46 overs (Mehidy Hasan Miraz 38 not out, Litton Das 41; Mohammed Siraj 3/32).
With AFP inputs
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