Dubai: Two stellar performances and some useful contributions helped India get off to a winning start in the Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium here on Thursday night.
Mohammed Shami (5/53) was back to his wicket-taking best as India bowled out Bangladesh for 228. Shubman Gill then extended his red-hot form with an unbeaten 101 (129 balls, 9×4, 2×6) to guide India to a 6-wicket win.
Though India weren’t chasing a high target, 229 didn’t turn out to be quite so simple. On a slow and dry pitch, strokemaking was hazardous at times. Rohit Sharma stroked seven fours in his 41, but Gill and Virat Kohli (22) had to bat cautiously against the Bangladeshi spinners.
When Axar Patel fell cheaply, India were 144/4. KL Rahul joined Gill and the two put their heads down to put together a matchwinning unbeaten partnership of 87 runs. Gill scored his second second successive ODI hundred, following a three-figure knock against England earlier this month.
It was Gills’s eighth ODI century, and slowest as well, underlining the maturity he showed.
Rahul survived a chance and a run out to be unbeaten on 41.
Gill’s hard-earned ton overshadowed a fine century by Towhid Hridoy (100 off 118, 6×4, 2×6) earlier in the day as Bangladesh recovered from 35/5 – it could have been 35/6 had Rohit Sharma accepted an easy catch off Axar’s hat-trick ball – to a fighting total.
Stung by Shami, Harshit Rana (3/31) and Axar (2/43) early, Bangladesh’s blushes were saved by a superb 154-run partnership between Towhid and Jaker Ali (68).
Next up for India in Group A are arch-rivals Pakistan.
Brief Scores
Bangladesh 228 in 49.4 overs (Towhid Hridoy 100, Jaker Ali 68; Mohammed Shami 5/53, Harshit Rana 3/31, Axar Patel 2/43).
India 231/4 in 46.3 overs (Shubman Gill 101 not out, Rohit Sharma 41, KL Rahul 41*; Rishad Hossain 2/38).
Result: India won by 6 wickets.
Man of the Match: Shubman Gill.
India’s next match: Vs Pakistan (Feb 23).
