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- Published: December 24, 2022 16:42
New Delhi: Bangladesh showed grit at the end of the day to hinder India’s 2-0 clean sweep. A fifty from Zakir Hasan and 73 off 98 by Litton Das made the hosts come back from a collapse while spinners delivered by picking four wickets at the end of day 3. The 87-run India lead has proven to be X-factor for the visitors as they have to chase 145 in the fourth inning.
A collective bowling effort by the Indian attack halt Bangladesh for 231, in which they lost four wickets even before taking some lead. The pitch showed its demons and Indian spinners used it well to get the desired results. Even Indian pacers managed to pick up four wickets with Siraj getting Mominul Haque out off an edge and getting Litton Das bowled. Axar Patel took three wickets and showed a great mix of the ball turning away and the ball angling into a right-hander. Ravichandran Ashwin got the first breakthrough and picked two wickets in total.
Nurul Hasan and Taskin Ahmed played cameos scoring 31 off 29 and 31* off 46 respectively. They ensured that Bangladesh could give a fighting target of 150-odd runs. On the other hand, Virat Kohli was slippery in the slips, dropping three catches in a day.
Bangladesh is very much into the game after dismissing India’s top three batters. The first inning also saw a collapse of the top order and the same was the case in the second inning. Shakib Al Hasan got KL Rahul off an outside edge and Mehidy Hasan Miraz first dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill off Nurul Hasan’s stumping. Mehidy showed his magic and Virat Kohli was dismissed by a catch on short-leg.
Axar Patel came in at number four, maybe as a night watchman and is batting with another night watchman, Jaydev Unadkat. While everyone in India’s top order departed in single digits, Axar is batting at 26*(54). India currently stands at 45/4 and Bangladesh has a chance to draw the series. India needs exactly 100 runs to win and Bangladesh needs 6 wickets.
